March 2023 – magpie

From Andalusia with love

30 March 2023

Faraj Abyad is an interesting performer. He’s a Syrian-American composer, singer and a multi-instrumentalist, brought up in the States and living in New York City. He specialises in writing and performing music in a distinctive Arabic tradition – albeit one [ … ]

Public Art for all: Abu Dhabi’s plans

29 March 2023

DCT Abu Dhabi has announced the launch of a major public art imitative for Abu Dhabi, supported by a substantial investment – more than $35 million a year. The aim of Public Art Abu Dhabi: “to support the emirate’s wider [ … ]

Making music in the UAE: the half-term report?

29 March 2023

It was World Piano Day on 29 March – the 88th day of the year, corresponding to the 88 keys of a full-size piano keyboard – so we took the opportunity to ask Ioannis Potamousis, pianist and educator, about the [ … ]

Artists compete for Sharjah Children’s Book Illustration Award

22 March 2023

The 11th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Book Illustration Award received a total of 1,300 submissions from 280 artists – 135 of them from Arab countries – and its jury has selected 235 works from 85 artists to compete for [ … ]

Three more calls for Dubai Public Art commissions

21 March 2023

Dubai Culture is collaborating with Alserkal Arts Foundation to deliver a series of three projects under the Dubai Public Art umbrella. This is the third of five such collaborations that aim to bring art to the city’s public spaces; the [ … ]

Ute Meta Bauer appointed Artistic Director of second Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale

20 March 2023

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation says it is “delighted” to announce the appointment of Ute Meta Bauer, as Artistic Director of the second edition of its Contemporary Art Biennale, scheduled for January 2024 – and well it might be. Ute Meta [ … ]

The Dubai Collection gets an airing

20 March 2023

The Dubai Collection, the loaned collection of modern and contemporary art for the emirate of Dubai, has announced a series of events under the title Dubai Collection Nights. It’s due to become an annual week-long diary date, with its first [ … ]

What does ‘Arabic art’ mean?

8 March 2023

One of the functions of art, and particularly of art exhibitions, and most especially of not-for-profit exhibitions that carry an explicit theme, is to encourage reflection. Yes, there should be a visceral, personal reaction: at its best, the art will [ … ]

Shortlist for the inaugural Dubai Public Art Commission

6 March 2023

The artists shortlisted for the first Dubai Public Art commission, a piece to be installed in an Al Hudaiba park that overlooks Etihad Museum and Union House, have been announced. Dubai Public Art is a Dubai Culture strategy to put [ … ]

Six for IPAF shortlist

1 March 2023

A shortlist of six novels has been named for the 16th International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Each of the authors gets $10,000, with the winner – to be announced in Abu Dhabi on 21 May – receiving an additional $50,000. There [ … ]