• Ahmad Nabil: Fetus Exodus

    Jameel Library Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai

    A Jameel Library Commission by the Palestinian artist and educator that explores regional myths and legends through ten monthly texts – chapters in fact, in digital form – that address an imagined foetus (referred to as a “child of myths") [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    The Club Al Mina, Abu Dhabi

    The July Laughter Factory tour looks like a good one to finish the season. The acts: Steven Briggs excellent high-energy US standup with a CV that includes winning one of the Moth's StorySLAMs (open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Friday Night Spotlight

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

    The Courtyard's community theatre night, described as "a celebration of creativity and experimentation" with community members and in-house performers taking the stage to try out fresh ideas and showcase their talents. The first half features performances from the community, offering [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Radisson DAMAC Hills Hessa Street Dubailand, Dubai

    The July Laughter Factory tour looks like a good one to finish the season. The acts: Steven Briggs excellent high-energy US standup with a CV that includes winning one of the Moth's StorySLAMs (open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Summer Cinema: Rematerialising the Archive

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    Jameel’s Summer Cinema, organised in collaboration with The Culturist Film Club and curated by Hind Mezaina, is a season of free-to-attend films about cities, archives, and the ways we live and remember together. Audiences are encouraged to engage in "collective [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Dukes The Palm Palm Dubai, Dubai

    The final gig for the July Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Steven Briggs excellent high-energy US standup with a CV that includes winning one of the Moth's StorySLAMs (open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can share a true, personal, five-minute [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • LAST CHANCE Eltiqa: How to Work Together?

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    More 80 artworks by the Palestinian artist collective Eltiqa, Eltiqa (Arabic for “encounter”) is an artist collective from Gaza City founded in 2000. Eltiqa members have developed artistic practices together – including the setting up of a dedicated exhibition and [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE The History of Letters and Diacritical Marks

    Al Rahmaniyah Mall Abu Amr Al Basri St, Al Rahmania Suburb, Sharjah

    This short Sharjah Public Libraries exhibition – part of SPL’s centennial celebrations – features rare manuscripts and artefacts from the Sharjah Quran Complex collection, shedding light on the vital role the Arabic script has played in preserving cultural identity and [ ... ]

    Free
  • Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Bik Van der Pol’s The poem that jumps the fence

    Abu Dhabi Beach Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • M.O.R.O.N.S

    Blacksmith Bar The First Collection Business Bay, Al A'amal Street, Dubai

    Mad Cat's Business Bay comedy night – "Dubai's Wildest Crowdwork Roast Show". The cover charge of AED 99 includes one drink.

    AED 99
  • Summered

    Artbooth Gallery Centro Capital Center, Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, Abu Dhabi

    The summer show at Artbooth Gallery is a group exhibition featuring Soraya Abu Naba’a, Gilbert Halaby, Asaad Arabi, James Mathews, Habuba Farah, Noor Bahjat, Bruno Sfeir, Oussama Diab, Layal Khawly, and Elias Naman. We’re promised “more than an ode to [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Comedy Lab @ Easy Tiger

    Al Ain Palace Hotel Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi

    Mad Cat brings its standup crew to Abu Dhabi's Easy Tiger bar in the Al Ain Palace. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks ...

    AED 99
  • I Am Cuba: dir Mikhail Kalatozov (1964)

    Efiɛ Gallery 2 Al Khayat Art Avenue, First Al Khail Street, Dubai

    A landmark in radical political cinema and one of the most visually ravishing films ever made, this legendary hymn to revolution was the product of an ambitious collaboration between the Soviet and Cuban film industries, I Am Cuba unfolds in [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Politically Incorrect Comedy

    The Clavichord Signature Hotel, Barsha Heights, Dubai

    Mad Cat Comedy is back at the Clavichord in TECOM with "Dubai's wildest comedy night ... raw, unfiltered, hilarious". The cover charge of AED 80 includes one drink.

    AED 80
  • Joke Hub

    Canopy by Hilton Dubai Al Seef Al Seef Street, Umm Hurair 1, Dubai

    Another regular Mad Cat Comedy night – "Dubai's wildest comedy show on Saturday" (sic). The cover charge of AED 99 includes two drinks.

    AED 99
  • LAST CHANCE Nima Nabavi: Sunrise at the Vortex

    The Third Line Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The second solo exhibition by Nima Nabavi at the gallery features new works that mark a significant evolution in the artist's practice, reflecting a deepened commitment to introspection, geometry, and modes of making that embrace technology alongside traditional tools. Created [ ... ]

    Free
  • Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Bik Van der Pol’s The poem that jumps the fence

    Abu Dhabi Beach Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Jameel Library Commissions: A Conversation and Workshop with Ahmad Nabil

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    Artist Ahmad Nabil talks with Jameel Library’s Azim Al Ghussein about Nabil's ongoing Fetus Exodus project, followed by a bilingual writing and drawing workshop. The discussion will consider the transformative nature of myth-making and storytelling, and the ways they shape, [ ... ]

  • M.O.R.O.N.S

    Blacksmith Bar The First Collection Business Bay, Al A'amal Street, Dubai

    Mad Cat's Business Bay comedy night – "Dubai's Wildest Crowdwork Roast Show". The cover charge of AED 99 includes one drink.

    AED 99
  • The Comedy Lab @ Easy Tiger

    Al Ain Palace Hotel Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi

    Mad Cat brings its standup crew to Abu Dhabi's Easy Tiger bar in the Al Ain Palace. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks ...

    AED 99
  • LAST CHANCE time heals, just not quick enough

    Efiɛ Gallery 2 Al Khayat Art Avenue, First Al Khail Street, Dubai

    This group show of film and photography features works by contemporary artists across generations – Samuel Fosso (b.1962), Aïda Muluneh (b.1974), Kelani Abass (b.1978), Abeer Sultan (b.1999) and Sumayah Fallatah (b.2000). Curated by Ose Ekore, the exhibition seeks to provide [ ... ]

  • The Comedy Lab

    Radisson Red Dubai Digital Park, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai

    Mad Cat's regular Thursday stop in Silicon Oasis promises "the UAE's top comics".. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks ...

    AED 99
  • Summer Cinema: Home, Longing and Solitude

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    Jameel’s Summer Cinema, organised in collaboration with The Culturist Film Club and curated by Hind Mezaina, ia a season of free-to-attend films about cities, archives, and the ways we live and remember together. The four short films this evening explore ideas [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Bik Van der Pol’s The poem that jumps the fence

    Abu Dhabi Beach Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Bik Van der Pol’s The poem that jumps the fence

    Abu Dhabi Beach Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Rushdi’s Comedy Souk

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

    A rare midsummer evening of improv and stand-up hosted by Rushdi. The bar's set pretty high: "from side-splitting stand-up to mesmerising improv, the finest comedic artists from near and far come to showcase their talent".      

    Free, but pre-register
  • The Laughter Factory Standup Comedy Showcase

    The Agenda Abdullah Omran Taryam St, Media City, Dubai

    The August Laughter Factory showcase has the usual stops, but with one additional name on the bill (most Factory tours have three comics). The acts are all good: Dimitri Bakanov is a UK-based half-Russian, half-Ukrainian comedian who has gigged all [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • The Laughter Factory Standup Comedy Showcase

    Studio One Hotel Dubai Studio City, Dubai

    The second gig for the August Laughter Factory tour, with four good acts: Dimitri Bakanov is a UK-based half-Russian, half-Ukrainian comedian who has gigged all over the world with a tight, slick routine – "dark, charming and never far from [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Bik Van der Pol’s The poem that jumps the fence

    Abu Dhabi Beach Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • LAST CHANCE Ihab Ahmad: I PUT MY BRAIN ON PAUSE!

    Firetti Contemporary Unit 29, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    The new body of work in this solo exhibition marks a turning point in Ihab Ahmad’s practice – "a move toward instinct, spontaneity, and emotional exploration" as the gallery puts it. Smiling faces populate the canvases, each a reflection of [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Fridge Open Mic

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    An open mic gig for local musicians; each act gets two songs or a 10-minute slot. If you want to play, online registrations open on 18 August; or turn up from 6.30pm on the night and you might get a [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Laughter Factory Standup Comedy Showcase

    Studio One Hotel Dubai Studio City, Dubai

    The second weekend of the August Laughter Factory tour starts with its only Abu Dhabi gig. There are four good acts: Dimitri Bakanov is a UK-based half-Russian, half-Ukrainian comedian who has gigged all over the world with a tight, slick [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Friday Night Spotlight

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

    The Courtyard's community theatre night, described as "a celebration of creativity and experimentation" with community members and in-house performers taking the stage to try out fresh ideas and showcase their talents. The first half features performances from the community, offering [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Laughter Factory Standup Comedy Showcase

    Radisson DAMAC Hills Hessa Street Dubailand, Dubai

    The August Laughter Factory tour comes back to Dubai for its final two dates. There are four good acts: Dimitri Bakanov is a UK-based half-Russian, half-Ukrainian comedian who has gigged all over the world with a tight, slick routine – [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • LAST CHANCE Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd: Garden of Murmurs

    CARBON 12 17th Street, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd's body of work delves into his Iraqi heritage, while bridging painting, drawing and fibre art – "reconciling the tactility of textiles with a sensitive examination of form", as the gallery puts it. "Focusing primarily on the [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Architectures of the In-Between

    Aisha Alabbar Gallery Warehouse C19, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    A group show featuring Nevine Hamza, Atefeh Majidi Nezhad, and Layla Juma. Says the gallery: "Each artist navigates the threshold between structure and sentiment, material and memory, between what is seen and what is sensed ..." Hamza’s work draws on [ ... ]

    Free
  • Thinking through Space: Curatorial Methods and Tools [day one]

    Sharjah Art Foundation, Flying Saucer Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Now this looks interesting: a two-day workshop (23-24 August) that offers a practical and reflective entry point into contemporary curatorial practice, showing how an initial idea can evolve into a coherent, site-responsive exhibition. Through a series of guided exercises, attendees [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • The Laughter Factory Standup Comedy Showcase

    The Agenda Abdullah Omran Taryam St, Media City, Dubai

    The final gig for the August Laughter Factory tour has four acts, all good: Dimitri Bakanov is a UK-based half-Russian, half-Ukrainian comedian who has gigged all over the world with a tight, slick routine – "dark, charming and never far [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Thinking through Space: Curatorial Methods and Tools [day two]

    Sharjah Art Foundation, Flying Saucer Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Second day of this two-day workshop that offers a practical and reflective entry point into contemporary curatorial practice, showing how an initial idea can evolve into a coherent, site-responsive exhibition. Through a series of guided exercises, attendees will learn how [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Bik Van der Pol’s The poem that jumps the fence

    Abu Dhabi Beach Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Faraj Suleiman Live in Concert

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

    For his full UAE debut Suleiman takes to the stage with a full band to performing selection from his albums, including his breakthrough Better Than Berlin and his most recent release Maryam. His music blends jazz, rock, classical, and Arabic [ ... ]

    AED 125
  • LAST CHANCE Nazgol Ansarinia: Instruments of Viewing an Obscurity

    Green Art Gallery Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Recent projects from the Tehran-born artist. Nazgol Ansarinia’s work examines the systems and networks that underpin her daily life – from everyday objects to routines, events and experiences. She's interested in the relationships they form to make up a larger [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Maitha Abdalla: Between Metamorphosis and Reality

    Cultural Foundation Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street, Abu Dhabi

    With a mix of painting and sculpture, this solo exhibition by the Emirati artist explores folklore, mythology, psychology, and social constructs that shift between abstraction and representation. Says the blurb: "The exhibition highlights the power of art to spark dialogue, [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE No Trespassing

    Ishara Art Foundation Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    Ishara’s first summer exhibition, curated by Priyanka Mehra, features six UAE-based and South Asian artists exploring their relationship with the street – “a collection of individual experiences that alternate between chaotic and orderly, gritty and beautiful, uninhibited and curated … [ ... ]

  • Afra Al Dhaheri: Restless Circle

    Sharjah Art Foundation, Al Mureijah Square Sharjah

    A selection of works by Afra Al Dhaheri that explore the structural effects of tension, repetition and time provides Sharjah Art Foundation's first show of Autumn. "Working with materials such as cotton rope, fabric, cement and hair, the artist emphasises [ ... ]

    Free
  • Focal Point Pop-Up

    Al Mureijah Art Spaces Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    A one-day-only preview of Sharjah Art Foundation's December art book fair. We're promised "art publications and other printed matter from our archive" at discounted prices.

    Free, but pre-register
  • SAF Book Club Meetup: Art History in the Gulf

    Al Mureijah Art Spaces Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Another good-looking subject for a Sharjah Art Foundation meetup. The discussion will include Sabrina DeTurk's Women and Contemporary Art in the Gulf, The Development of An Art History in the UAE by Sophie Kazan Makhlouf and But We Cannot See [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Candlelight: From Mozart to Chopin

    Mina A’Salam Hotel Jumeirah Road, Dubai

    Aldo Dotti plays a 65-minute programme of classical piano favourites by the gentle glow of candlelight. The programme: Mozart: Rondo alla Turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K 331 Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 12 in F Major, [ ... ]

    From AED 150
  • LAST CHANCE The Prism: Project Oneness / Trust, Gratitude, and Love Journey

    Bassam Freiha Art Foundation Cultural District Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    "An immersive exploration of The Prism’s distinctive artistic vision ... Going beyond aesthetics, these exhibitions create emotionally and spiritually resonant experiences, transforming light and space to challenge perceptions and inspire deep reflection ... Through dynamic interplays of form, colour, and [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Elysian Awakening of Powerful Spring

    Rarares Galllery Zone C, Gate Avenue, DIFC, Dubai

    A group exhibition, curated by Sara Serpilli and Marina Baisel, featuring Fatma Latooh, Barbara Duran, Sara Alkhayyal and Zeina Abdullah. Says the gallery: "this exhibition is not merely a showcase – it is a tribute, a declaration, and an invitation [ ... ]

    Free