10 December 2023

Nowhere And Everywhere At The Same Time No.2

Berklee Abu Dhabi UAE Pavilion, Saadiyat ISland, Abu Dhabi

Now this is an unexpected offering from Berklee: the revised version of William Forsythe's Nowhere And Everywhere At The Same Time, a kind of DIY performance piece that encourages you to experience space, movement, other people, the absence of other [ ... ]

AED20

Bookish Winter Shopping Festival

Bookends Dubai Digital Park A3 Building, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai

A three-day fair/sale of pre-owned books all related to "the hobbies and passions of reading and books" and book-themed merchandise by local artisans, authors, and crafters . Bookends is open 10am to 10pm.

Free (unless you buy a book)

Sharjah Film Platform 6

[various Sharjah locations]

The sixth edition of Sharjah Arts Foundation’s annual indie/experimental film festival, which runs from 8 to 17 December, features more than 50 films from around the world – a range of independent cinema and experimental filmmaking that “foregrounds the transformative [ ... ]

AED 15

A Century of Iconic Arab Music

Zabeel Theatre Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Palm Jumeirah West Crescent, Dubai

The Candlelight concerts experience – music with illumination provided by thousands of candles – is applied to a programme of classic Arabic music perfromed by the Fusion Al Arab Group, presenting works such as Tehaddoh El bashar by Rashed Al-Majed, [ ... ]

From AED 200

Slava’s Snowshow

Dubai Opera

Two final performances for one of the best seasonal shows around – a whimsical blur of laughter, awe, and magic that has already been seen by more than 12 million theatre-goers around the world, reportedly receives a standing ovation following [ ... ]

From AED 225

Rusted Stars

The Junction Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The final performances for this science fiction musical, said to be the first original musical play to be produced in the UAE: long ago people left an uninhabitable earth to make a life in the stars. That sort of worked, [ ... ]

AED 120

1 MINUTE TO KRUSHIT

Melrose Paramount Midtown, Al Mustaqbal Street, Dubai

Another Dubomedy comedy night with alumni of its stand-up courses, last of the year – they each get just one minute to make you laugh, there will be prizes, and it's free with no minimum spend (you need to pre-register, [ ... ]

Free, but pre-register

Winter Special – Theatresports: Santas vs Elves

Courtyard Playhouse Street 4B, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A newish Courtyard tradition: competitive improv. In Theatresports, teams of improvisors compete against each other for points awarded by a panel of judges. The teams issue challenges to each other on the seasonal theme, and the judges are looking for [ ... ]

Free, but pre-register

La Capella Reial De Catalunya and Hespèrion XXI: Al-Andalus & The Ancient Hesperia

The Arts Center @ NYUAD NYUAD Campus, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

A concert spanning 500 years of music from Arabic Andalusia and the Western Mediterranean. The award-winning Catalan-Spanish conductor and musician Jordi Savall directs his two ensembles – La Capella Reial de Catalunya, one of the first vocal groups devoted to [ ... ]

AED 105

LAST CHANCE Wissam Shawkat: Black & White

Mestaria Gallery Unit 35, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Monochrome works at reduced scale from one of the masters of modern calligraphic art. In this show there are 111 in total, all in his characteristic calligraphy styles including Al Wissam and Calligraforms. "It feels to me a universal truth [ ... ]

Free

Tinariwen

Dubai Opera

The exciting Tuareg band (the name Tinariwen translates to ‘People of the Deserts’ or ‘The Desert Boys’) merge traditional Tuareg melodies and rhythms with guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll in a style known as assouf among the Tuareg people and dubbed [ ... ]

From AED 225

LAST CHANCE Jade Kim & Kai: SOMEDAY | Love and Labyrinths

Volery Gallery Maze Tower - 5201, Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai

A dual exhibition for two interesting Asian artists – Jade Kim from South Korea and Kai from Japan. Jade Kim's practice is based around the animated character MIN, an embodiment of his wife, whose personality and characteristics inspire his paintings [ ... ]

Free

Winter Special – Theatresports: Santas vs Elves

Courtyard Playhouse Street 4B, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A newish Courtyard tradition: competitive improv. In Theatresports, teams of improvisors compete against each other for points awarded by a panel of judges. The teams issue challenges to each other on the seasonal theme, and the judges are looking for [ ... ]

Free, but pre-register

Handel’s Messiah

Dubai Opera

The Astana Opera Orchestra, the Dubai Festival Chorus, and conductor Rob Johnston perform the classic mainstay of the festive season – one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral pieces in Western music. Famously Handel composed Messiah in just [ ... ]

From AED 225

Alfiz Sabirov: Ayu Bala

Andakulova Gallery Unit 18, P4 Level Damac Park Towers, DIFC , Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A solo exhibition of 3D work by the Turkic artist, sculptures distinguished by a variety of shapes and volumes, unexpected combinations of materials and textures. Says the gallery: “Sabirov has created his own mythology, elaborated in detail and embodied in [ ... ]

Free

Laughter Factory: ‘Endless Fun, End of Season, Parties’

Park Rotana Khalifa Park, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The second weekend of pre-Christmas standup jollity with Maher Barwany, Imah, Elsey de Almeida and Mark Maier. The remaining tour schedule: 15 December Radisson Hotel DAMAC Hills Dubai 16 December Dukes The Palm Dubai      

AED 160

Rooftop Rhythms: Slam Competition and Open Mic Night

Marketplace, NYUAD Campus Abu Dhabi

The Middle East’s longest-running open mic event features up-and-coming spoken word artists, poets, and musicians presenting original material, basically on a first-come first-served basis (sign up by emailing info@rooftoprhythms.org) with some minor juggling by the organisers. Season 12 upcoming dates: [ ... ]

Free, but pre-register

The Nutcracker

Dubai Opera

Tchaikovsky’s all-time seasonal favourite is delivered by the Astana Opera Ballet with the State Opera Orchestra of Astana. Choreography is by Yuri Grigorovich, the set designs by Simon Virsaladze are described as "stunning", and the blurb promises that audiences will [ ... ]

From AED 300

Laughter Factory: ‘Endless Fun, End of Season, Parties’

Radisson DAMAC Hills Hessa Street Dubailand, Dubai

The final gigs for pre-Christmas standup jollity with Maher Barwany, Imah, Elsey de Almeida and Mark Maier. (The last one is tomorrow at Dukes The Palm.)      

AED 160

The Nutcracker

Dubai Opera

A second pair of performances for Tchaikovsky’s all-time seasonal favourite, as delivered by the Astana Opera Ballet with the State Opera Orchestra of Astana. Choreography is by Yuri Grigorovich, the set designs by Simon Virsaladze are described as "stunning", and [ ... ]

From AED 300

Boeing-Boeing

The Junction Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Marc Camoletti's farce had a short run in November at the Junction, but now it's back by popular demand, as they say, and for two nights only. The play has a delicious 60s vibe: swinging bachelor Bernard is simultaneously engaged [ ... ]

AED 120

The Nutcracker

Dubai Opera

The final two performances for Tchaikovsky’s all-time seasonal favourite, as delivered by the Astana Opera Ballet with the State Opera Orchestra of Astana. Choreography is by Yuri Grigorovich, the set designs by Simon Virsaladze are described as "stunning", and the [ ... ]

From AED 300

Boeing-Boeing

The Junction Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The second of two nights for Marc Camoletti's farce The play has a delicious 60s vibe: swinging bachelor Bernard is simultaneously engaged to Gloria, Gabriella, and Gretchen, all flight attendants who don’t know of each other's existence. But then things [ ... ]

AED 120

LAST CHANCE Mohannad OrabI: Coloured Shadows

Urbanist Art Gallery Box Park, Al Wasl Road, Dubai

Collage art by the Dubai-based Syrian artist whose work reflects his interest in spontaneity, the liberation of forms and colours, and the creation of art without specific guidelines.    

Free

A Night with Matteo Bocelli

Dubai Opera Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai

Matteo Bocelli may be the son of a famous father, but he's a fine singer in his own right; his newly released self-titled debut album features an attractive mix of English and Italian songs, with contributions from the likes of [ ... ]

From AED 275

Imperial Orchestra: Cinema Medley

Coca-Cola Arena City Walk, Dubai

The St Petersburg orchestra performs soundtracks from classic films under the baton of Lev Dunaev in a show that combines "unique visual and audio effects" to immerse the audience in the cinema experience. The programme includes pieces from top movie [ ... ]

From AED 199

Omar Khairat

Dubai Opera Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai

The celebrated Egyptian pianist and composer has a talent for fusing contemporary Arabic melodies with Western influence that among other works has delivered more than 50 film and TV soundtracks and better than 20 awards. We're promised one of his [ ... ]

From AED 350

LAST CHANCE Saher Nassar: The Front Side Strikes the Most

Zawyeh Gallery Warehouse 27, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Soldiers undergo rigorous training, sometimes bordering on indoctrination, to execute commands often beyond their personal desires or intentions. They become pieces in a domino effect, operating in environments they cannot control. The latest works by Saher Nassar examine the psychology [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Nine Nodes of Non-Being

421 Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

A group exhibition with works by nine artists, thinkers, filmmakers, and researchers from East, South, Southeast Asia, the MENA region, and South America. Curated by Ritika Biswas, it conceives of climate-related extinction through various states of negation and excess emerging [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Asma Belhamar: Solid Void

421 Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

This solo exhibition captures the tensions between shifting natural geographies and dynamic urban environments, featuring new works inspired by the UAE’s architectural history. It narrates the topographic evolution of the UAE, as influenced by Western classical modernity, contemporary traditionalism in [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Roshanak Aminelahi: Faces of Resilience

Ayyam Gallery Alserkal Avenue Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The second solo exhibition for Roshanak Aminelahi at Ayyam Gallery (the first was way back in 2017) illuminates the stories of women who navigated a male-dominated society and persevered through adversity. The selected women come from diverse backgrounds, spanning different [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Nabil Nahas: Tethys

Lawrie Shabibi Unit 21, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

After months of renovations, Lawrie Shabibi is reopening with a show by the pioneering Lebanese American artist Nabil Nahas — who was actually the first artist Lawrie Shabibi exhibited, back in 2011. Nahas looks like a great choice. Noted as [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Afra Al Dhaheri: Give Your Weight to the Ground

Green Art Gallery Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Working across various mediums including mixed media, sculpture, drawing, painting, installation, photography, and printmaking, Afra Al Dhaheri draws out notions of time and adaptation, rigour and fragility. Born in Abu Dhabi, where she still lives and works, Al Dhaheri has [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Lubna Chowdhary: Disjunctions

Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A solo exhibition from an always interesting artist that foregrounds her distinctive disruption of material, of tradition, of expectations. Clay and ceramics constitute her principal media, but she uses them to explore tensions between the handmade and the industrial, the [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Nima Nabavi and Jason Seife: Duality

The Third Line Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

New works by two artists working together in symbiosis – pairings of canvases that are mixed and matched (the precise dimensions of each canvas are the same) but not exact: the works are cousins, not siblings. Geometry was the common [ ... ]

Free

Judit Böröcz, Bence György Pálinkás and Máté Szigeti: Singing Youth

Bait Al Serkal Arts Square, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

The original Singing Youth is a larger-than-life memorial statue of three young people by Greek sculptor Memos Makris, a political refugee in Hungary. In 1953, the statue was installed in front of a sports stadium in Budapest; there it still [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Julian Charrière: Melting Point

For COP28, the noted climate-engaged Swiss-French artist is presenting an important show in collaboration with Art of Change 21, a non-profit organisation on art and environment which has curated exhibitions and events at each COP since 2015; and Alserkal Initiatives, [ ... ]

Judit Böröcz, Bence György Pálinkás and Máté Szigeti: Singing Youth

Bait Al Serkal Arts Square, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

A second performance of this acapella piece that brings to life the original Singing Youth – a memorial statue of three young people by Greek sculptor Memos Makris, a political refugee in Hungary. In 1953, the statue was installed in [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Jameel Prize: Poetry to Politics

Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

Founded in 2009, the Jameel Prize is a collaboration between the V&A and Art Jameel; it is the world’s leading award for contemporary art and design inspired by Islamic tradition. This sixth edition, the first to have a focus on [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Samia Halaby: Lasting Impressions

Sharjah Art Museum Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

The big autumn exhibition at the Sharjah Art Museum is a major retrospective for the NY-based Palestinian Samia Halaby, featuring around 180 works of various sizes from abstract paintings and sculptures to documentary drawings and digital works. Internationally recognised as [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE I Can No Longer Produce the Limits of My Own Body

NIKA Project Space Unit 11 Al Khayat Avenue, 19th Street Road — Al Quoz 1, Dubai

A group show highlighting ecofeminist perspectives, curated by Nadine Khalil and featuring work by Liane Al Ghusain, Lilia Ziamou, Dalia Khalife, Sara Niroobakhsh, Mirna Bamieh with Isaac Sullivan, and Christiane Peschek. Khalil notes that the show features predominantly women-centric perspectives, [ ... ]

Tao Ye: 4

Sharjah Performing Arts Academy University City, Sharjah

Tao Ye’s choreographic works explore the potential of the human body beyond the limitations of representation or dramaturgical narrative.  In this performance piece, the choreography is abstract – four fluid bodies flow in powerfully controlled movements around a magnetic central [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Yoshihiko Tsutsumi: Intersections of Cosmos

XVA Gallery Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Yoshihiko Tsutsumi is an accomplished graphic designer and artist (and a professional antiques dealer, gallerist and art director too, as it happens). Influenced by the immersive environment of his uncle's cinema billboard painting atelier in Kumamoto, Japan, he draws inspiration [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Sawsan Al Bahar: 33 Songs, 99 Words

Maraya Art Centre Al Qasba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

The Dubai-based Syrian artist presents a large-scale multimedia installation with 330 printed sheets representing songs inherited from her father over the past 33 years. The songs are an obscure and highly personal collection; the patterns only reveal visual poetry and [ ... ]

Free

Tubular Bells

Dubai Opera Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai

Your chance to remind yourself what the fuss was all about: it's the 50th anniversary of Mike Oldfield's masterpiece mashup of classical, jazz, folk, prog rock, and electronica – the highest-selling instrumental album of all time. This special tribute concert [ ... ]

From AED 225

LAST CHANCE I Can No Longer Produce the Limits of My Own Body

NIKA Project Space Unit 11 Al Khayat Avenue, 19th Street Road — Al Quoz 1, Dubai

The fourth exhibition at NIKA Project Space is a group show for seven artists exploring the body as an expanded site and medium; Liane Al Ghusain, Mirna Bamieh, Isaac Sullivan, Dalia Khalife, Sara Nirookbaksh, Lilia Ziamou and Christiane Peschek. Says [ ... ]

Free

Berlin: Perhaps All the Dragon

Bait Al Serkal Arts Square, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

An interesting take on the ‘six degrees of separation’ theory – the idea that all people are no more than six social connections away from each other. In an intimate setting, spectators are seated at a large oval table, each [ ... ]

Free

LAST CHANCE Letters of Light

Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Held in partnership with Bibliothèque nationale de France and France Muséums, this exhibition will spotlight the Holy Books of the three Abrahamic religions – the Quran, the Christian Bible, and the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) – exploring the historical context in [ ... ]

AED 60