• Yomeddine: dir Abu Bakr Shawky (2018)

    Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    Beshay has been cured of leprosy but has never left the leper colony in the Egyptian desert where he has lived since childhood. On the death of his wife, though, he finally decides to leave in search of his roots. [ ... ]

    AED 30
  • La Lezione di Teatro | The Acting Class

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

    This 45-minute play -- first seen at the NYUAD Arts Center last autumn – is a joyful lesson in theatre and a tribute to the theatrical talent of Italians for connecting to anyone, transcending language barriers. Set partly in English [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    The Agenda Abdullah Omran Taryam St, Media City, Dubai

    This month's Laughter Factory tour has another good crop of fine up-and-coming talent. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Perfect Days: dir Wim Wenders (2023)

    Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    This moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday tells the story of Hirayama, a man who seems utterly content with his simple life cleaning toilets in Tokyo. Outside his structured daily routine, he enjoys music, books, and [ ... ]

    AED 30
  • LAST CHANCE Adrian Pepe: A Shroud is a Cloth 

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

    Adrian Pepe’s poetic meditation on fragmentation and renewal gets an extended run at NIKA Project Space. It uses a monumental 200m2 woollen textile piece that previously wrapped a building damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion to highlight the relationship [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Laura Garcia Karras: Eidolon

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

    A solo exhibition by that French artist that explores "the spectral space between presence and absence, giving form to what lingers just beyond perception" (the ancient Greek word 'eidolon' means phantom, double, or apparition). Karras’s works appear as delicate traces [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Flower Shop

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

    A group show – with Maria Andrievskaya, Almendra Bertoni, Katie Hector, Jen Hitchings, and John Denniston II– that invites us to think of colour not just as a visual element but as a language of its own. "Colour is what [ ... ]

    Free
  • Zhou Song: Supernatural·Algorithm

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

    Zhou Song's solo show echoes traditional Chinese landscape painting but employs symbolic imagery to explore relationships between nature, technology, and faith. The 'anthropomorphic tree' is central, serving as a metaphor for nature’s alienation by technology – "these trees retain natural [ ... ]

    Free, but book appointment slot
  • Music Loves Company presents Comedy Kix

    Music Loves Company Sky Quarter , Mobility District, Expo City, Dubai

    Comedy Kix presents some of Dubai’s top Desi stand-ups – Nitesh Chaturvedi, Emaad Siddiqui, Adil Javed, Faizan Nassan, Piyush Malhotra, and Prateek Hiranandani (the show will partially be delivered in Hind). The door price includes a free drink.

    AED 85
  • Moon Is The Oldest TV: dir Amanda Kim (2023)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Kim's documentary profiles the career of Nam June Paik and his pioneering contributions to video art. A timely meditation on the contradictory ways in which technology elicits both fascist tendencies and intercultural understanding, the film charts Paik’s artistic evolution with [ ... ]

    Free
  • Les Quatre Cents Coups | The 400 Blows: dir François Truffaut (1959)

    Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

    Truffaut's largely autobiographical coming-of-age drama is the classic French New Wave film and utterly unmissable. In the first of many appearances with the director, Jean-Pierre Léaud is a misunderstood 13-year-old living in a small, uncomfortable Parisian apartment with his mother, [ ... ]

    AED 30
  • The Temple

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

    As part of International Jazz Month in Abu Dhabi, The Temple makes its public debut – an evening with some of the UAE’s most creative improvisers. It's curated by Ratish Chadha, who also plays in a couple of the slots. [ ... ]

    AED 105
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Vintage Grand Hotel Al Fay Road, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    This month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta UK-born Iranian comedian with [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • LAST CHANCE Tran Luong: Tầm Tã – Soaked in the Long Rain

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    The first major survey of Vietnamese contemporary artist Tran Luong covers 30 years of painting, installation, performance and work with communities showcasing how his practice has been shaped by political and social transitions and his multifaceted roles as activist, curator, [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Trần Lương: Tầm Tã – Soaked in the Long Rain

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    Trần Lương is a major figure in performance and visual art in Vietnam. This exhibition is the first international survey for the artist; it includes painting, installation, performance, community engagement and institution-making as it traces Trần’s life and work from [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Nadine Ghandour: Rooms for Error

    Bayt AlMamzar House 2, 26 Street, Al Mamzar, Dubai

    Nadine Ghandour’s first solo exhibition in the UAE, curated by Dawn Ross, features recent works informed by her experiences in various cities, including Dubai, Sharjah, Cairo and Rotterdam. Working with drawing, writing, performance and sculpture, Ghandour creates works that depict imagined [ ... ]

    Free
  • Ana Escobar Saavedra: It Starts Where It Ends

    421 Arts Campus Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Ana Escobar Saavedra has a cross-disciplinary creative practice working on the frontiers of craft, art and design. Born and bred in Colombia, she is now established in the UAE; for the last few years, she has combined a personal studio [ ... ]

    Free
  • Unstable Grounds: 2025 MFA Graduate Exhibition

    421 Arts Campus Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    For the fourth time, this exhibition shows work by students completing the two-year Master of Fine Arts in Art and Media at NYUAD – Dima Abou Zannad, Bao, Adele Bea Cipste, Hala El Abora, Mowen Li (Amira), Jude Maharmeh, Safeya [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Women in Contemporary Arab Art

    Kutubna Cultural Center Madina Avenues 17, Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai

    "A rare journey through modern and contemporary Arab art” in the form of more than 35 original works by artists including Ismail Fattah, Najat Makki, Khaled Al Jader, Louay Kayali, and Salah Taher that represent women in a variety of [ ... ]

    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
  • Felipe Ortiz: Lugares

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

    A night of unique improvised theatre with Felipe Ortiz, an acclaimed performer from Colombia – founding member of La Gata Circo and Picnic Impro, teacher of circus techniques, clowning and theatre improvisation at the Javeriana University in Bogotá, touring around [ ... ]

    Free
  • Parasite: dir Bong Joon Ho (2019)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    The South Korean smash hit and multi award winner (including the Cannes Palme d'Or in 2019 and a Best Picture Oscar) is a black comedy thriller: it follows the street-smart Kim family scamming their way into the household of the [ ... ]

    Free
  • Monday Night Comedy: This Is Impro

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

    Exactly what it says: a regular Monday evening of scenes, stories and narrative improvisation influenced by audience suggestions and featuring the Courtyard Playhouse's most experienced improv performers plus guests. Classic Courtyard improv. It's free, but you need to put your [ ... ]

    Free
  • C’est si bon: dir Kim Hyun-suk (2015)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Three young artists bicker over their music in the hip music bar C’est Si Bon, where they formed the C’est Si Bon Trio. Tehn beautiful socialite Ja-young enters the picture and becomes their muse, and a series of moving love [ ... ]

    Free
  • Secret – Untold Meoldy: dir Seo You-min (2025)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    A wrist injury forces promising pianist Yu Jun to return to Korea for treatment. While recuperating at his father’s music college, he comes across a mysterious woman named Jung A in an old practice room; their growing connection takes an [ ... ]

    Free
  • Comedy at the Palace

    The Palace in question is of course Emirates Palace (specifically, the Broadway Brasseries and Bar) where we're promised "a night of smart, sharp stand-up featuring rising voices and seasoned comics from the UAE and beyond ... A laid-back, high-quality comedy night [ ... ]

    AED95
  • The Fridge Concert Series Season 48: Scander X / Blue Saif

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The latest edition of the Fridge's showcase gig series gets under way with poetic R&B-adjacent Arabic rap from Alexandria's Scander X. Support comes from Cairo rapper Blue Saif.  

    AED 70
  • The Fridge Concert Series Season 46: Allexa Bash | Joe Girvin

    The Fridge Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    The Fridge's series of showcase concerts continues with Ukrainian pop powerhouse Allexa Bash – echoes of Kate Bush and Adele – with her new single 'Hurricane' plus songs from her debut album Dark Angels. Support comes from singer-songwriter Joe Girvin [ ... ]

    AED 70
  • My Beautiful Girl, Mari: dir Lee Sung-gang (2002)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Kim Nam-woo is struggling wife life as people around him seem to be constantly leaving him – his best friend, Jun-ho, is going to study in Seoul; his widowed mother is paying more attention to her new boyfriend. Then he [ ... ]

    Free
  • Arab Film Studio Collection

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    A curated collection of short narrative and documentary films produced and directed by alumnii from Arab Film Studio, an initiative supporting emerging filmmakers that plays a vital role in nurturing the UAE’s film industry and positioning Abu Dhabi as a [ ... ]

    Free
  • Jaurim, the Wonderland: dir Kim Ji-hwan (2023)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    One of South Korea's top bands, Jaurim, celebrated their 25th anniversary with a special album featuring a live concert and a chorus made up of 117 fans. This film documents the making of the album, intercut with personal anecdotes from [ ... ]

    Free
  • Guys and Dolls

    Sunmarke School Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai

    MTDXB's production of Frank Loesser's musical classic has a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band – should be a suitably dazzling celebration of Broadway by Dubai’s only musical theatre community for adults. There are performances at 7.30pm on [ ... ]

    AED 150
  • The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

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

    All 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello as a rap song, the History plays as a gridiron football game, Titus [ ... ]

    From AED 200
  • Wednesday Night Impro: Maestro

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

    The Courtyard's most peopular evening of elimination improv. Ten actors converge for a night of scenes, songs and games based on audience suggestions. After each round you score the players on a scale of 1 to 5, and the one [ ... ]

    Free
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Aura Skypool Palm Tower 50th floor, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

    Ths second weekend of this month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta [ ... ]

    AED 250
  • LAST CHANCE Halim Al Karim: Mythological Love

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

    Experimental photography works by the Iraqui artist, who says: “Inspired by the Sumerian myth and my archaeological excavations in our invisible life, the mythological love series invites us to contemplate the magical love relationship between human women and the Anunnaki [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCE Al Braithwaite: MATAB

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

    Al Braithwaite is a contemporary artist from London who works across a variety of disciplines including sculpture, assemblage, found material and installation. For this show, Braithwaite’s Material Abstraction (MATAB) comprises textured panels arrayed as physical sculptures. Says the gallery: “Their [ ... ]

    Free
  • Dog Days: dir Kim Douck-min (2024)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Single man Min-sang is a meticulous planner and obsessively tidy. He just wants peace and quiet — but his building has become an unofficial home for stray dogs, thanks to the free-spirited vet Jin-young who is his tenant. A chance [ ... ]

    Free
  • A Tale of Two Sisters: dir Kim Jee-woon (2003)

    Manarat al Saadiyat Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    After a stint in a mental hospital, Korean teen Su-mi reunites with her beloved sister Su-yeon and they return to live at their family home. The girls' father has remarried, and the siblings are immediately resentful of his new wife. [ ... ]

    Free
  • Carnage: Courtesies, Goodwill, and Other Hypocrisies

    Zayed Theatre, SUAD Campus Hazza Bin Zayed St, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    This adaptation of Yasmina Reza's Le Dieu du Carnage is described as a "compelling theatrical experience that delves into the fragile facade of civility". The play follows two couples who meet to resolve a conflict between their children – but [ ... ]

    AED 50
  • Guys and Dolls

    Sunmarke School Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai

    The second performance of MTDXB's production of the musical classic, with a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band. There are further performances at 7.30pm on 23 and 24 May, with a 2.30pm matinée on 24 May too; use [ ... ]

    AED 150
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Aura Skypool Palm Tower 50th floor, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

    The Abu Dhabi stop on this month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

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

    The second performance for this four-day run of the West End hit – all 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello [ ... ]

    From AED 200
  • LAST CHANCE Michael Sailstorfer: Air Electric

    Carbon 12 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Sailstorfer’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery brings together three series of works that explore one of the artist’s signature themes: energy. He reflects on energy in its various forms – as a source, as storage, as a transmitter, as [ ... ]

    Free
  • LAST CHANCEa radical intimacy of hanging out

    Aisha Alabbar Gallery Warehouse C19, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    A group exhibition featuring Emirati artists Asma Khoory, Taqwa Alnaqbi, and Sultan Al Remeithi, curated by Salem AlSuwaidi. "In a world rushing forward, the exhibition invites you to linger—where 'killing time' becomes a quiet, radical act of care, presence, and [ ... ]

    Free
  • Guys and Dolls

    Sunmarke School Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai

    The third performance of MTDXB's production of the musical classic, with a cast of 50 and a 14-piece live band. There are further performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on 24 May; use the promocode 10guys at checkout to get 10% [ ... ]

    AED 150
  • The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club

    Radisson DAMAC Hills Hessa Street Dubailand, Dubai

    This month's Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Aaron Butler engaging Belfast-born stand-up known for his high spirited stage presence Justin Panks observational comic with a genius for approaching seemingly everyday subjects from extraordinary angles. Roxy Yekta UK-born Iranian comedian with [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

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

    The third performance for this four-day run of the West End hit – all 37 of the bard's plays, condensed into 97 minutes of fast-paced comedy, silliness, audience participation, and "just the right amount of innuendo". Look out for Othello [ ... ]

    From AED 200
  • Friday Night Spotlight

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

    A new Courtyard Playhouse 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 [ ... ]

    Free