A second performance for this high-energy exploration of poetry through live performances, linking classic literature with contemporary works and showcasing techniques like metaphor, symbolism, and why words matter — with plenty of laughs along the way. One of a series [ ... ]
The region’s leading (only significant?) design festival returns for its 11th edition with the usual hectic mix of commissions, exhibitions, installations, talks and live events. Natasha Carella, DDW’s Director, said this year the programme was taking a more reflective approach [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
The last in NYUAD Arts Center's fall film season, a series which explores history, identity, and belonging through Arab and international cinema, while offering audiences the chance to engage directly with filmmakers is inspired by the childhood of Saudi writer-director-producer [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
A retrospective celebrating over four decades of work by the Sharjah-born artist. It traces Mona Al Khaja’s journey from her studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo to her continued exploration of abstraction, symbolism, and colou, featuring works [ ... ]
The first exhibition of the new iteration of The importance of staying quiet, a survey of Pakistani art, features photographic archives from Lala Rukh’s years at the University of Chicago (1974-76). It includes early works that carry a cinematic sense [ ... ]
In the canvases of Wassef Boutros-Ghali, colours informed by a knowledge of unrelenting Mediterranean sunlight flood the flat plane of the canvas; architectural forms emerge, collide and re-engineer themselves without a narrative. Boutros-Ghali’s art speaks to the pure and unrestricted [ ... ]
Influenced by the likes of Lucian Freud and Egon Schiele, Khosravi's drawings and paintings suggest that he's looking for artistic ideas – "for him, how to encounter pieces is important than pieces itself". But does have a characteristic style of [ ... ]
The practice of Moscow-based Katya Emelyanova explores the phenomenology of aesthetic experience, aiming to evoke emotion, foster direct engagement, and maintain accessibility. Drawing from fauvism and abstraction, her vibrant forms begin as abstract concepts that gradually evolve into refined, expressive [ ... ]
The acclaimed Thai artist’s first international large-scale survey exhibition brings together works from the last 45 years alongside new commissions. Including performance, video and installations plus some large-scale sculptures not seen since the 1990s, the exhibition fills the indoor galleries, [ ... ]
Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s reflection that “It is here that we must love. All is here,” this exhibition of painting and sculpture invites viewers to rediscover paradise not as a distant place, but as something that exists within our [ ... ]
A solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist Tim Kent that examines the historical and cultural significance of the horse. Working across large-scale painted interiors, landscapes, and invented worlds, Kent transforms historical reference into contemporary compositions that hover between reality and imagination; [ ... ]
Under the theme 'Between You and a Book' the 44th Edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair offers 12 days of panel discussions, talks, and interactive workshops with a lineup of authors, creators, and publishers. There’s also a full cultural [ ... ]
Bernhard Buhmann curates this group show based on the idea that plunging downwards is both terrifying and liberating – the gallery quotes Andrea Roelig: "We stand between death and life, and decline is dangerously enticing because it also carries an [ ... ]
Following previous editions of this exhibition in Paris and Tokyo, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts aims to offer a dialogue between 19th and 20th-century Western jewellery and Islamic arts, with poetry as the common thread. Jewels, precious objects, and gouaché [ ... ]
A solo exhibition by the Lebanese-Irish painter, born in Beirut and adopted into Ireland to bear a dual heritage that shapes his artistic identity. This, his first solo exhibition in the UAE, presents a new body of work that reflects [ ... ]
This exhibition brings together works by two artist-anthropologists with practices on the boundaries between scholarship and art. Their projects invite viewers to reflect on migration, memory, identity, and the ways knowledge takes shape across bodies, materials, and stories. The exhibition [ ... ]
Kenan Adnawi is a Syrian virtuoso oud player, composer, and improviser known for blending traditional Middle Eastern music with classical, jazz, and contemporary styles. His solo oud performances are a mesmerizing journey through Arabic maqamat, unfolding from introspective modal improvisation [ ... ]
A production that has become one of the most acclaimed dance galas in the world; Roberto Bolle, recognised as one of the great ballet stars of his time, is not only the leading performer of the evening but also its [ ... ]
Mad Cat's regular stop in Silicon Oasis promises “Dubai’s wildest comedy night". The door price of AED 99 includes one drink and popcorn ...
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. [ ... ]
Louvre Abu Dhabi is celebrating its eighth anniversary with exclusive after-hours access to 1am for all the galleries, the excellent Mamluks exhibition, Art Here 2025, the Children’s Museum and the museum’s VR experiences. (There's also a free outdoor screening of [ ... ]
A seven-day live art "experience" (7-13 November, 5-9pm) lets visitors watch and take part in the creative process as a different artist each day runs a live demonstration and participative workshop. The artists: 7 Nov Azza Al Qubaisi Express Yourself [ ... ]
Now this sounds a lot of fun: at Neverland Publishing, deadlines are chaos, the creatives are barely holding it together, and Managing Editor James Hook has some terrible news: Upper Management has sent in Sylvia, a brand-new AI robot, to [ ... ]
MadCat Comedy returns to Xandros in Signature 1 Hotel, TECOM. The cover charge of AED 80 includes one drink.
Featuring vocals, tabla and harmonium, Ruhaniyat's music is influenced by Hindustani classical traditions and Sufi poetry alongside contemporary influences. The ensemble is led by vocalist Hetartho Chatterjee, whose practice bridges raga, Sufi, ghazal and popular forms; this performance on the [ ... ]
The November Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Tom Elwes Sold out his Edinburgh Fringe show: expect high-energy storytelling and razor-sharp wit Kate Barron One of the funniest things to come out of Canada (possibly) ever. "Fierce, unfiltered, and hilariously relatable" [ ... ]
For its inaugural exhibition, SAF's Photography Gallery presents a panorama of artistic experimentation and engagement drawn from the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection. Says the Foundation: "the works navigate the sociopolitical terrain of the last six decades against a backdrop of [ ... ]
An exhibition of 165 photographs and archival documents from the collection of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, that provides a starting point for research into how photography translates and interprets history. On permanent display at Sharjah [ ... ]
Berklee Abu Dhabi's "groundbreaking" music summit is intended to explore "the intersection of artistic expression and intelligent innovation" while "addressing the personal and professional journey artists take to discover their unique sound and creative identity". In practice this means a [ ... ]
The theme for VCUarts Qtara's 11th biennial Symposium on Islamic Art, Islam and Visual Culture in Contemporary Asia, aims for a fresh look at how Muslim communities across South, Southeast, and East Asia are engaging with Islamic art. The co-chairs, [ ... ]
A panel discussion in support of the current Poetry of Birds exhibition, with ... Entisar Muean Al Obeidli Curator, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization Dr Anne-Lise Tropato art historian, Adjunct Assistant Professor at NYU Abu Dhabi Faisal Alrais conceptual artist [ ... ]
The second performance for writer/director Gaby Milky's satirical comedy: Neverland is actually Neverland Publishing, Hook is the Managing Editor, and Peter Pan is organising the workforce to counter the threat of a new AI robot brought in to “enhance workflow [ ... ]
In his new production the Greek choreographer Christos Papadopoulos embarks on his inaugural collaboration with the dancers of the Dance On Ensemble, a group that features performers aged more than 40. Incorporating their knowledge and experience into the creation, together [ ... ]
A rare choral collaboration between Chorus Omnis and Angels Singing Choir, two exceptional local ensembles united under choirmasters Marc Misael Gamil and Yuliana Kireyeva. "The performance takes the roots of choral music and stretches its capacity in rhythm and vibe, [ ... ]
A regular MadCat Comedy night – "Dubai's wildest comedy show on Saturday" (sic). The cover charge of AED 99 includes two F&B coupons.
The November Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Tom Elwes Sold out his Edinburgh Fringe show: expect high-energy storytelling and razor-sharp wit Kate Barron One of the funniest things to come out of Canada (possibly) ever. "Fierce, unfiltered, and hilariously relatable" [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
A two-hour dance workshop for those aged over 40. It's led by Laura Böttinger, a senior dancer with the Dance On Ensemble – a company made up of dancers aged over 40 who are in the UAE for a performance [ ... ]
First of two stand-up sessions today by Dubomedy's finest – graduates of Dubomedy's Fall Stand-up Workshops plus special guests perform fresh new material. Free, but (a) pre-register because spaces are limited and go fast; and (b) there's a minimum spend [ ... ]
The November Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Tom Elwes Sold out his Edinburgh Fringe show: expect high-energy storytelling and razor-sharp wit Kate Barron One of the funniest things to come out of Canada (possibly) ever. "Fierce, unfiltered, and hilariously relatable" [ ... ]
The final performance for writer/director Gaby Milky's satirical comedy: Neverland is actually Neverland Publishing, Hook is the Managing Editor, and Peter Pan is organising the workforce to counter the threat of a new AI robot brought in to “enhance workflow [ ... ]
Second of two stand-up sessions this evening by Dubomedy's finest – graduates of Dubomedy's Fall Stand-up Workshops plus special guests perform fresh new material. Free, but (a) pre-register because spaces are limited and go fast; and (b) there's a minimum [ ... ]
Dubai's art-rock ‘experimental Oriental’ combo plays on the barge in Khalid Lake (the barge is actually a purpose-built floating stage, the surrounding park provides the view for the audience) as part of Sharjah Art Foundation's Perform Sharjah performance programme. NOON’s [ ... ]
A solo exhibition of works (some never seen before) by the Lebanese artist "whose works emerge from the intersection of identity, contradiction and modernisation" as the gallery has it. Born in the 1970s in war-torn Beirut, Sahmani embodies Lebanon’s complex [ ... ]
MadCat’s standup team comes to the Easy Tiger bar in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain Palace. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks ...
Dhai Dubai, Dubai Culture's light art exhibition, has a very specific remit: just seven works but seven artists, all Emirati. The theme for this second edition of the show is ‘Light Influences Life’. The artists represent an interesting selection, and [ ... ]
Gypsy jazz always makes for a good night out. This band, led by Alexandre Colleuil, really does rhythm and swing than Reinhardt and Grappelli, but they're still great fun and good musicians) ... The door price includes one drink; AF [ ... ]
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