• 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
  • 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 Shingo Yamazaki: Mauka to Makai

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

    The Middle East solo debut for the LA-based artist, known for layered, poetic paintings that explore the intersection of memory, identity, and place. Says the gallery: "Yamazaki constructs atmospheric compositions where domestic interiors dissolve into natural landscapes. Veil-like layers of [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Summer Collective: Wavering Hope

    Ayyam Gallery B11, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Ayyam Gallery’s summer group show celebrates and questions the current siutation in Syria with works by Kais Salman, Khaled Takreti, Tammam Azzam, Abdalla Al Omari, Othman Moussa, Safwan Dahoul, Thaier Helal, Elias Izoli, Abdul-Karim Majd Al-Beik, Mohannad Orabi, Nihad Al-Turk, [ ... ]

  • Barcelona Flamenco Ballet: Carmen

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

    BFB reinterprets Bizet’s iconic work with flamenco elements that effectively adapt the original to the realities of contemporary society. "The values that make Carmen a woman of our time, along with the adaptation of music and flamenco ballet infused with [ ... ]

    From AED 140
  • LAST CHANCE 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
  • 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
  • Barcelona Flamenco Ballet: Carmen

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

    Second and final performance for Barcelona Flamenco Ballet's reworking of Bizet’s iconic work with flamenco elements that effectively adapt the original to the realities of contemporary society. "The values that make Carmen a woman of our time, along with the [ ... ]

    From AED 140
  • LAST CHANCE Richi Bhatia: Antevasin – the one who sits at the border of two worlds

    Gallery Isabelle Unit 17, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The first solo exhibition at Gallery Isabelle for the UAE-based Indian artist. Her practice spans drawing, performance, object-making, food interventions, and assemblage; says the gallery, "inviting us to engage with liminality, her work challenges the normative categories that shape our [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Tajammul

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

    The XVA group show for the summer, curated by Carina Vicente, promises "beauty and grace, capturing the aesthetics of the evolving art landscape in the contemporary Middle East" – the title comes from the Arabic root word for beauty (jamaal), [ ... ]

    Free
  • Whispers of the Past

    Sotheby’s Dubai DIFC Gate Village Building No3, Unit 01, Level B2, Dubai

    A group show by Aisha Alabbar Gallery in collaboration with Sotheby’s Middle East at Sotheby’s gallery space in DIFC. It featyures five influential rgeional artists – Najat Makki, Khalid Al Banna, Sara Al Haddad, Sara Aref Ahli, and Samar Hejazi [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Omar Al Gurg: Everyman’s Mountain

    Lawrie Shabibi Unit 21, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    The Emirati artist and designer's inaugural solo exhibition comprises a series of photographs that documents the striking ecological diversity of Mount Kilimanjaro. Captured through Al Gurg’s attentive and empathetic gaze during a six-day journey in 2021, this work offers "a [ ... ]

    Free
  • Every Brilliant Thing

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

    A very welcome return for this single-hander play that has already been a smash hit at the Junction four times in the last three years. It’s not hard to see why: written by the English playwright/director Duncan Macmillan with actor/writer/comedian [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Game. Set. Match.

    Playhouse Studio Theatre New Covent Garden, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai

    The Playhouse Studio Theatre at New Covent Garden (located in a much-revamped Mall of the Emirates space that now includes a fully-equipped 575-seater theatre plus dance and rehearsal studios and a new restaurant) opens with this new Tall Tales / [ ... ]

    AED 126
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    The Agenda Abdullah Omran Taryam St, Media City, Dubai

    The September Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Peter Flanagan Hit Irish comic fresh from a critically acclaimed show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Expect “great storytelling" with "warmth and shamrock panache” delivered via razor-sharp writing (he's also a columnist for [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Ruba Salameh: Refined Compositions

    Zawyeh Gallery Warehouse 27, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    In the face of genocide, Palestinian artist Ruba Salameh finds her way forward through abstract painting – weaving her own narrative while connecting across generations to the work of art historian and artist Kamal Boullata. This exhibition reflects primarily on [ ... ]

    Free
  • Game. Set. Match.

    Playhouse Studio Theatre New Covent Garden, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai

    The second day of performances for this new Tall Tales / Cross Bronx Studio production It has been adapted from the 2016 Italian film Perfect Strangers, itself a critical and commercial success that has resonated with audiences around the world [ ... ]

    AED 126
  • Every Brilliant Thing

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

    A second night for this single-hander written by the English playwright/director Duncan Macmillan with actor/writer/comedian Johnny Donahoe, The Guardian called the original Edinburgh Festival production “one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression – and possibly one of [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Studio One Hotel Dubai Studio City, Dubai

    Second stop for the September Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Peter Flanagan Hit Irish comic fresh from a critically acclaimed show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Expect “great storytelling" with "warmth and shamrock panache” delivered via razor-sharp writing (he's also [ ... ]

    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
  • Every Brilliant Thing

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

    The final performance of this run for “one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression – and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop”. The Junction’s main man Gautam Goenka directs and performs; the [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Game. Set. Match.

    Playhouse Studio Theatre New Covent Garden, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai

    The final performances for this contemporary comedy-drama. Set in a luxury tennis club suite, the play follows seven long-time friends reunited for a destination wedding; but a seemingly innocent game of sharing phone messages and calls turns into digital Russian [ ... ]

    AED 126
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    The Club Al Mina, Abu Dhabi

    The Abu Dhabi stop for the September Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Peter Flanagan Hit Irish comic fresh from a critically acclaimed show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Expect “great storytelling" with "warmth and shamrock panache” delivered via razor-sharp writing [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • LAST CHANCE Naeemeh Kazemi: Bubble Land

    Leila Heller Gallery Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    A solo show for an artist whose distinctive approach to visual storytelling lies in her ability to blend hyperrealism with dreamlike distortion. In this series, a follow-on from her gorgeous but unsettling La La Land works, her paintings transform the [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Morteza Khazaie: Upside Down

    Leila Heller Gallery Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Khazaie's solo show is inspired by nature, particularly by trees that bend in the face of wind and storms yet do not break. These symbolise resilience and flexibility; just as in life, people too change under pressure and harsh conditions, [ ... ]

    Free
  • Ranim AlHalaky: Of Liminal Threads

    Tashkeel Studio and Gallery Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Tashkeel reopens its Nad Al Sheba Gallery with this solo exhibition by Syrian-Lebanese artist and designer Ranim AlHalaky, the culmination of a year-long journey of research, mentorship, and production as part of Tashkeel's Critical Practice Programme. To 16 October.

    Free
  • Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire

    Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    An exhibition on the rich heritage of the Mamluk Sultanate, a dynasty that ruled a vast expanse of territory encompassing the most significant Islamic holy sites for more than 250 years (1250–1517), with more than 270 works  gatheredfrom 34 museums [ ... ]

    General admission AED 65
  • Hester Street: dir Joan Micklin Silver (1975)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Carol Kane is extraordinary as a Jewish immigrant arriving in late 19th-century New York with her young son Yossele (Paul Freedman) to join a husband (Steven Keach) who she hasn’t seen in three years. He's embraced the new world and [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Marwan Bassiouni: New Western Views (Preview)

    Lawrie Shabibi Unit 21, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    This first solo exhibition in the region for Bassiouni offers a first look at an ongoing international project that reframes landscape photography through the lens of lived Muslim presence in the contemporary West. Each of these photographs – taken from [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Only Way Out Is Through: The Twentieth Line

    The Third Line Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Shumon Basar curates this project marking the gallery’s 20th anniversary, a look back on "two decades of The Third Line’s story in relation to global cultural, political, and economic shifts". The exhibition component features both early and more recent works from [ ... ]

  • Elias Izoli: Inside Out ‘25

    Ayyam Gallery B11, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    After a long break from painting, Izoli has returned with a new body of work centred around "the circus of life" – Izoli uses the circus as a metaphor for the unpredictability and complexity of life as a Syrian citizen. [ ... ]

    Free
  • Abdelkader Benchamma: Rumors from the Skies

    Gallery Isabelle Unit 17, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Says the gallery: "Drawing on literature, philosophy, and astrophysics, Benchamma transforms celestial phenomena into symbolic landscapes that invite us to move beyond the material and the real, into dimensions where the rational and the fantastical coexist". For his third solo [ ... ]

    Free