• Laughter Factory: “Menace To Society” Tour

    Park Rotana Khalifa Park, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    A night in Abu Dhabi for the latest Laughter Factory tour – Dana Alexander (originally from Canada, now based there and in the UK) tours a lot and has been a hit in Dubai before; her style has been described [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Cinderella: Bitesize Ballet

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

    Described by the organisers as “the perfect introduction to ballet”, this family-friendly version of the Prokofiev favourite, with original choreography by the Russian choreographer Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, offers a familiar story and all the language of classical ballet – albeit with [ ... ]

    From AED 175
  • Laughter Factory: “Menace To Society” Tour

    Media Rotana Hessa Street, Al Barsha Heights, Dubai

    First of two final Dubai gigs for the latest Laughter Factory tour – Dana Alexander (originally from Canada, now based there and in the UK) tours a lot and has been a hit in Dubai before; her style has been [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Amr Diab

    Coca-Cola Arena City Walk, Dubai

    The Egyptian singer (and songwriter, and actor) has a magnetic stage presence and a great back catalogue, based on more than 30 albums and four decades of contribution to the Arabic and global music scene – and especially his way [ ... ]

    From AED195
  • Cinderella: Bitesize Ballet

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

    A second Abu Dhabi performance for this family-friendly version of the Prokofiev favourite, with original choreography by the Russian choreographer Victor Smirnov-Golovanov. It offers a familiar story and all the language of classical ballet – albeit with a reduced company [ ... ]

    From AED 175
  • Laughter Factory: “Menace To Society” Tour

    Dukes The Palm Palm Dubai, Dubai

    Last gig of the latest Laughter Factory tour – Dana Alexander (originally from Canada, now based there and in the UK) tours a lot and has been a hit in Dubai before; her style has been described as “smart, irreverent [ ... ]

    AED 160
  • Cinderella: Bitesize Ballet

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

    Described by the organisers as “the perfect introduction to ballet”, this family-friendly version of the Prokofiev favourite, with original choreography by the Russian choreographer Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, moves to Dubai after its Abu Dhabi performances. It offers a familiar story and [ ... ]

    From AED 175
  • Nine Nodes of Non-Being

    421 Arts Campus 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
  • Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF)

    Vox Cinema, City Center Al Zahia University Road, Al Zahia, Sharjah

    SIFF is back for its tenth edition on 22 to 28 October with an official selection of 81 films from 37 countries (slightly down on last year, which saw 90+ from 47 countries). But "the new edition promises to exceed [ ... ]

    tbc
  • Asma Belhamar: Solid Void

    421 Arts Campus 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
  • The UnPink Ribbon

    Mogoa by Socialicious Street 73, Dubai Digital Park, Dubai

    A free-to-attend community awareness event – “raise awareness, get educated, and voice your thoughts against Corporate Cancer”. The theme is blue rather than pink because “the Corporate World over the last few years has begun to sell Pinktober, almost as [ ... ]

    Free
  • Karama Arts Club: Local Matters – The Making of a Music Scene

    25hours Hotel Dubai One Central Trade Center Street, Dubai

    The intelligent networking session for creative peers is back after its summer break with an extended evening session – a social (with private bar) for members and guests (5.30 to 8.30) followed by the meat of the evening, a panel discussion [ ... ]

    Free with a drinks package
  • Khurshid Aziz: Musica Classica

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    The Uzbekh piano virtuoso Khurshid Aziz plays some favuorites and a few less well known pieces ... with a twist: he's accompanied by ToiDA's 360° visuals, in an AI-based AV show by Japanese artist Saeko Ehara. The programme: Saint-Saens / [ ... ]

    From AED 190
  • Andrew Schulz: The Life Tour

    Etihad Arena Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

    The sharp-witted American comedian (and actor, TV producer and podcaster) is touring an entertainingly complicated exploration of current events, politics, and the beautiful chaos of creating life – "an evening of irreverent humor and astute insights that only Schulz can [ ... ]

    From AED 250
  • Monday Night Comedy: This Is Impro & Ahmed

    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. There's a new angle to the event for this season – [ ... ]

    Free but donations welcome
  • Mathilde Magnier: What We Leave Behind

    Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi Reem Island, Abu Dhabi

    This series of images of the UAE, started when Mathilde Magnier Rabate moved to the Emirates in 2014, attempts to document the impact of the country's rapid transformation on the Emirati traditional landscape and ecosystems. In a part of the [ ... ]

    Free
  • Jamal Tayara-Baroudy: Ways of Seeing

    FN Designs Unit 26 Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    A solo exhibition by the UAE-based Lebanese artist, an alumna of Tashkeel's Critical Practice Programme 2022. The subject of Jamal’s research over the last 18 months has been the giant milkweed, a species of flowering plant native to MENASA that [ ... ]

    Free
  • Wednesday Night Impro: Maestro

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

    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 with the lowest score is eliminated. Eventually only [ ... ]

    Free but donations welcome
  • Asaad Arabi: Still Life to Abstraction

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

    A mini-retrospective for the Syrian artist, with works from 2008 to 2023. Most reflect Arabi’s enduring connection with Damascus, the city where he was brought up before moving to France; a distinguished art theorist and critic, Arabi has consistently reinvented [ ... ]

  • Femalarity

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

    A group show of ten female Asian artists, curated by Hing Kong gallerist Matt Chung. The artists: Haeji Min Sonya Yufei Zhang Von Hyin Kolk Debbie Kim Chey Claire Yang Du Estelle Tcha Kyungmin Lee Hilarie Hon Wong Sze Wai [ ... ]

    Free
  • Samuel Beckett in the UAE

    Amphitheatre Robert de Sorbon Paris Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    It's the 70th anniversary of the world première of Waiting for Godot, and this symposium (bilingual in English and French) muses about its impact – and especially its appearance in both English and French. Given the musicality of its language, how [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Alam: dir Firas Khoury (2022)

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

    Tamer and his friends lead typical high school students' lives until the arrival of the beautiful Maysaa.  As he grows closer to her, Tamer agrees to take part in a mysterious flag operation dubbed ‘Alam' on the eve of Israel's [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-regisrer and donate
  • For the Love of Palestine

    Melrose Paramount Midtown, Al Mustaqbal Street, Dubai

    Musicians, comedians and poets take to the stage for an evening of art and solidarity. Ali Al Sayed hosts and there's standup from Mina Liccione, Isra Abu Zayed, and Fajer Abu Zayed; music from Arqam Al Abri and Ibby VK; [ ... ]

    Free, like Palestine should be
  • David Garrett: ICONIC Tour 2023

    Dubai Opera Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai

    Violinist David Garrett has built a reputation for his fearless playing and genre-defying repertoire (he has won awards in both classical and pop categories). A genuine child prodigy, he became the youngest artist to sign with Deutsche Grammophon at 13; [ ... ]

    From AED 295
  • RAUXA CIA: The Crisis of Imagination

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    RAUXA CIA, a performance duo from Spain, combines modern circus art and theatre in this story of two adults suddenly regaining their childhood imagination – "for a fleeting moment they find themselves in a world where anything is possible," says [ ... ]

    From AED 190
  • 200 Meters: dir Amin Nayfeh (2019)

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

    Mustafa and his wife Salwa live 200 metres apart in villages separated by the Israeli wall. One day he gets a call every parent dreads: his son has had an accident. Rushing to cross the checkpoint, Mustafa is denied entry [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-regisrer and donate
  • Ladies of Jazz

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    Every Friday, ToDA transforms into a jazz venue for live performance accompanied by a 360° immersive show: this time it's Christine & her band, an all-female ensemble that "explores the full spectrum of jazz, trip-hop and funk with unmatched skill" [ ... ]

    From AED 140
  • Global Notes: Linus Roth & Boris Kusnezow

    Dubai Opera Studio Downtown Dubai, Dubai

    This is the gala opening performance for the Global Notes Series from Dubai Opera in collaboration with Encore Performing Arts. Global Notes is a new recital/concert programme “dedicated to celebrating the vibrant tapestry of cultural diversity and supporting young musicians [ ... ]

    AED 275
  • Mayar Obeido: Mutual Change

    Fann à Porter The Workshop, Villa 45, St. 23b, off Al Wasl Road (opposite Box Park), Jumeirah 2, Dubai

    Over the last year, the Dubai-based Syrian artist has produced a large body of work that explores the interconnectedness of everyday life. Interested in the concept of change and the visual possibilities of documenting this process, Obeido's work considers how [ ... ]

    Free
  • RAUXA CIA: The Crisis of Imagination

    Theatre of Digital Arts Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai

    Three more performances for this one-hour show that is "touching, absurd, and profoundly sincere ... Its multi-layered storytelling resonates with universal themes of kids' imagination, wordless storytelling, simplicity, and humor that transcend language barriers". RAUXA CIA, a performance duo from [ ... ]

    From AED 190
  • Foragers: dir Jumana Manna (2022)

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

    Shot in the Golan Heights, the Galilee and Jerusalem, the film employs fiction, documentary and archival footage to capture the joy and knowledge embodied in the traditions of foraging for wild edible plants alongside the foragers' resilience in the face [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-regisrer and donate
  • Between Heaven and Earth: dir Najwa Najjar (2019)

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

    Salma and Tamer have been married for the past five years and living in the Palestinian Territory. As Tamer is given a three-day permit to cross the Israeli checkpoint to file for divorce in the courts of Nazareth, the couple [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-regisrer and donate
  • Rooftop Junior Open Mic

    Marketplace, NYUAD Campus Abu Dhabi

    A junior edition of the Middle East’s longest-running open mic event for spoken word artists, poets, and musicians presenting original material. Sign up by emailing info@rooftoprhythms.org.

    Free, but pre-register
  • Kenny Garrett: Sounds from the Ancestors

    Dubai Opera

    One of modern jazz’s most influential living masters recently released an album titled Sounds from the Ancestors. “The concept initially was about trying to get some of the musical sounds that I remembered as a kid growing up – sounds [ ... ]

    From AED 250
  • Lubaina Himid and Magda Stawarska: Plaited Time / Deep Water

    Sharjah Arts Foundation, Arts Square Al Shuweiheen, Sharjah

    Lubaina Himid’s first exhibition in the region is something of a coup for Sharjah Art Foundation. Developed over several years, it has been conceived together with Magda Stawarska, who is internationally renowned for her practice of ‘inner listening’—a collaborative process [ ... ]

    Free
  • Future Talks X Calligraphy Biennale | Artist Mattar Bin Lahej

    Museum of the Future Trade Centre 2, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai

    Mattar Bin Lahej on the Museum of the Future as a public art masterpiece. He's the calligraphic artist who created the museum's distinctive facade; this talk aims to deliver an insight into its art, technology and positioning, how it transcends [ ... ]

    AED 149
  • Halloween Special: Horrible Bosses

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

    First of three consecutive nights of scares, laughter and payback, one of the Courtyard's most successful improv innovations. The audience gets to share stories of Horrible Bosses, and the team acts out some sweet revenge for you. Come dressed up [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • 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
  • Halloween Special: Horrible Bosses

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

    Second of three consecutive nights of scares, laughter and payback, one of the Courtyard's most successful improv innovations. The audience gets to share stories of Horrible Bosses, and the team acts out some sweet revenge for you. Come dressed up [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Halloween Special: Horrible Bosses

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

    Last (and scariest?) of three consecutive nights of scares, laughter and payback, one of the Courtyard's most successful improv innovations. The audience gets to share stories of Horrible Bosses, and the team acts out some sweet revenge for you. Come [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF)

    Expo Centre Sharjah Sharjah

    The 42nd edition of SIBF promises to be the fair’s biggest edition ever, claiming to show more than 1.5 million titles by 2,000 publishing houses representing 108 different countries. There will also be a packed 12-day agenda of 1,700 activities [ ... ]

    Free
  • Bastille

    Coca-Cola Arena City Walk, Dubai

    It's ten years since Bastille's smash hit debut album Bad Blood was released, since when the band's characteristic blend of cinematic, melancholic pop has turned them into global stars. So do they still sound as good, or indeed as relevant? [ ... ]

    From AED 199
  • Al Quoz Creative Entrepreneurship Forum: day one

    Warehouse 1 Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    It’s a pleasure to see the creative industries treated as an identifiable business path for entrepreneurs with its own special issues, culture and needs. This two-day event, an initiative of Al Quoz Creative Zone and Dubai Culture, looks like a [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Curators Talk | Suheyla Takesh

    NYUAD Art Gallery Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    The first in a new series presented by The NYUAD Art Gallery, in which curators working in the UAE and beyond discuss their approaches to curatorial practice. The aim is to survey the various individual positions and institutional models at [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Authentic Flamenco Abu Dhabi

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

    After success in different cities around the world, this showcase production created by the award-winning dancer and choreographer Amador Rojas for the Royal Opera of Madrid – claimed to be "the most important performing arts institution in Spain" – is [ ... ]

    From AED210
  • Al Quoz Creative Entrepreneurship Forum: day two

    Warehouse 1 Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

    The second day of this initiative of Al Quoz Creative Zone and Dubai Culture. It’s free, but obviously there will be restrictions on space so get in quick … The workshops also require separate registration: check the website. Day Two [ ... ]

    Free, but pre-register
  • Every Brilliant Thing

    Jameel Arts Centre Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    As his mother battles chronic depression, a child creates a list of every thing they can think of that makes life worth living. As the child grows, so does the list. Looking back on a life of ups and downs, [ ... ]

    AED 120
  • Macbeth

    Dubai Opera Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai

    A new production of Shakespeare’s tragedy by ETT (English Touring Theatre), now touring after it opened a few weeks ago at Shakespeare North Playhouse in Britain. Directed by ETT’s Artistic Director, Richard Twyman, the play speaks to a world we [ ... ]

    From AED 200
  • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Vasily Petrenko & Timothy Chooi

    Emirates Palace Auditorium Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    The RPO, under the baton of its recently appointed musical director, Vasily Petrenko, plays a programme that includes Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor. For Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto, the orchestra will be joined by the young Canadian Timothy Chooi, [ ... ]

    From AED 150
  • Macbeth

    Dubai Opera Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai

    A second outing for ETT's new production of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Directed by ETT’s Artistic Director, Richard Twyman, the play speaks to a world we find ourselves living in now, asking why Macbeth has haunted our fears and nightmares for centuries [ ... ]

    From AED 200