Alserkal Avenue's two-day celebration of all things food is back for its third edition, promising "the city’s most exciting homegrown chefs, artisanal makers and creative culinary minds ... pushing boundaries, showcasing cutting-edge culinary experiments and sparking critical conversations about food [... more]
Alagroobi’s evocative, highly textured landscapes provide a glimpse into “a world where reality and imagination intersect”. Her practice celebrates the physical and metaphysical, using layers of acrylic to sculpt imagined landscapes that blur the boundaries between the tangible and the [... more]
A second evening of performances (at 6pm and 8.30pm) for the award-winning flamenco and this explicitly titled show. This is the Teatro Real de Madrid production that has been wowing audiences for some time; it aims to deliver a taste [... more]
This production debuted for four performances in May and two in July; all sold out (deservedly). It's now back for a run at Theatre by QE2, and it's highly recommended. It's an English version of an award-winning French comedy from [... more]
This is a story about how people and animals can finally get along. A snow leopard, rare and globally endangered, breaks into the pen of a herder family and kills nine goats. The father and son argue about what to [... more]
A college professor faces ridicule when he adopts a newborn donkey after its mother is killed. He leaves Madras and takes the foal to his home village, against the norms of his community. Bad things start to happen, and the [... more]
This experimental theatre piece by the Kuwaiti director and playwright Sulayman Al Bassam examines that brief moment of silence that followed the Beirut port explosion of 2020. Produced with actress Hala Omran and the band Two or The Dragon, the [... more]
A group show for an eclectic collection of artists — Mohammad Alfaraj, Aminah Al huqail, Dalia Baassiri, Richi Bhatia, Jumairy, Tamara Kalo, Adrian Pepe, and Alia Zaal. The common factor is that they “cultivate a visceral and intimate relationship with nature” [... more]
An exhibition created by the Bulgarian immersive-experience specialists Poliforma, using surround-sound and surround-visuals to celebrate "stories of people who have overcome, adapted, or ignored their limitations" through "captivating video inserts, stunning 3D projections, and four interactive installations". Apparently it's "a [... more]
Two spectacular dance projects show how a young generation of dancers from all over the world are rediscovering Pina Bausch's choreography: the Semperoper Ballet Company in Dresden rehearses her dance opera Iphigenia in Tauris, and dancers from all over Africa [... more]
On the stage of the Opéra Bastille in Paris, 30 dancers from non-traditional genres – hip-hop, krump, break, voguing – reprise and remix Jean-Philippe Rameau's baroque 1735 masterpiece, Les Indes galantes. It’s an opera offensive to modern sensibilities that reflected [... more]
One of the Coutryard's two-act evenings of spontaneous scenes and stories based on audience suggestions. First up is the regular Monday evening mix of scenes, stories and narrative improvisation from some of the Courtyard Playhouse's most experienced improv performers plus [... more]
Hala Dabaji's distinctive paintings feature an androgynous character called Obu ("he has a challenging spirit") created in acrylic on canvas and more recently watercolour on fabric; the flatness and stylised hand gestures suggest a form of communicating that echoes shadow [... more]
First of three consecutive nights of scares, laughter and payback for Halloween. This is 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 [... more]
A second night of scares, laughter and payback for Halloween. This is 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 [... more]
Susan Hill's elegantly eerie ghost story has been seen by more than seven million people in the stage adaptation by Stephen Mallatratt, and very few will have been disappointed (or unshaken). A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes [... more]
Rand Abdul Jabbar’s first gallery solo show, curated by Meitha Almazrooei, weaves narrative with sculpture and textile to explore myth-making as a method of preservation and transformation. The exhibition follows on from her award of the Richard Mille Prize ('Earthly [... more]
A solo exhibition of small sculptures by the celebrated Spanish artist at the gallery’s Atlantis outpost. Noted for his ability to transform familiar forms and classical references into contemporary pieces, Valdés uses meticulous craftsmanship to recontextualise idioms from the art [... more]
New paintings and works on paper from the Louisville-based artist that explore pearls as "a metaphor for achieving stability and the needed structural integrity for life itself to regenerate". Drawing on her experiences as a war survivor and immigrant (Iraqi-born, [... more]
Fariba Boroufar’s first exhibition at the gallery features her signature woven forms. Reminiscent of elements of the built environment, they offer a poetical portrait of our broken present, a protest against forgetting, and a paean to another way of moving [... more]
Last of three consecutive nights of scares, laughter and payback for Halloween. This is 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 [... more]
Susan Hill's elegantly eerie ghost story has been seen by more than seven million people in the stage adaptation by Stephen Mallatratt, and very few will have been disappointed (or unshaken). A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes [... more]
The top Ukrainian pianist Oleg Poliansky plays works by Debussy, Scriabin and Stravinsky for the latest recital in Alliance Française's UAE Classical Talents series, now in its fifth season. The price here is for non-members; AF members pay AED 130. [... more]
The inaugural solo exhibition of the Syrian visual artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, sculpture, video, and installation. In this recent work, Maddah repurposes the vocabulary of traditional miniature paintings to depict "dream-like scenes that negotiate themes of belonging, resilience, [... more]
The award-winning flamenco guitarist brings this explicitly titled show to the UAE for two nights (the second performances are on 2 November). This is the Teatro Real de Madrid production that has been wowing audiences for some time; it aims [... more]
Diwali would seem an entirely logical extension for the Candlelight series of candle-illuminated musical events. So we're happy to flag up two free concerts for the Festival of Lights, with the plaza in front of Etihad Arena transformed into an [... more]
Susan Hill's elegantly eerie ghost story has been seen by more than seven million people in the stage adaptation by Stephen Mallatratt, and very few will have been disappointed (or unshaken). A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes [... more]
A captivating dance documentary that celebrates the life and work of the world-renowned choreographer Pina Bausch. During the preparations for the film in 2009, Bausch died suddenly; the dancers of Bausch's company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, convinced him to proceed as a [... more]
When it comes to the classical repertoire, you don’t get much more mainstream than Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It seems dangerous, even perhaps sacrilegious, to tinker with this much loved, immensely popular music. But because it has been played so often [... more]
The last in a series of exhibitions investigating contemporary approaches to fibre art curated by Murtaza Vali, this group show builds on notions of nurture and care long associated with cloth – which envelopes our bodies from our first breath [... more]
The final performances for this run of Susan Hill's elegantly eerie ghost story, adapted for the stage by Stephen Mallatratt and seen by more than seven million people worldwide. A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been [... more]
This acclaimed interactive experience for the young has been a major success for Sydney Opera House; it’s a 40-minute show aimed at children aged 2 to 10 (and their families) which blends live music, storytelling, and song to introduce young [... more]
A second evening of performances (at 5.30pm and 8.30pm) for the award-winning flamenco guitarist and this explicitly titled show. This is the Teatro Real de Madrid production that has been wowing audiences for some time; it aims to deliver a [... more]
Bringing together more than 40 artists and collectives, drawing from politics, history, economics and urbanism, this exhibition takes a playful yet serious approach to how animals navigate and thrive within the gaps of urban environments. What happens when animals escape [... more]
Through her work, Gargash delves into spirituality, transformation, and the human journey. Her first solo exhibition with the Maraya Art Centre has a title – kun means 'to be' – that reflects the exploration of a liminal state between different [... more]
Confined to his home during the Covid lockdown of 2020, artist Malicho Vaca Valenzuela sat down in front of his computer and began collecting memories from the residents of Santiago. His goal was to tell the story of his neighbourhood, [... more]
A collection of more than 100 of Warhol’s works, curated by Nada Ghandour, which aims to trace Warhol's rise from his modest beginnings in commercial illustration to his status as the Pope of Pop Art via screenprints, photos, and magazines [... more]
Charismatic, athletic Manish is a talented young street dancer from a poor Mumbai family who struggles against his parents’ insistance that he forgets his dreams of becoming a professional dancer. He meets Yehuda, a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet teacher who [... more]
A prestigious Paris high school takes an audacious bet: to integrate students from working-class districts and to make them break the cycle of school failure through training in hip hop dance. Each student brings their own story: complex family relationships, [... more]
The second (and final) performance of this piece by the Chilean artist Malicho Vaca Valenzuela. Confined to his home during the Covid lockdown of 2020, he sat down in front of his computer and began collecting memories from the residents [... more]
Subtitled ‘Exploring Women’s Voices Across and Beyond the Middle East’, this exhibition – curated by Behrang Samadzadegan – is inspired by the evocative poetry of al-Khansa, who eloquently conveyed the nuances of grief, strength, and transformation. Says the gallery: “the exhibition resonates [... more]
A range of works from the Lebanese-born NYC-based artist that are rooted in spontaneity and the intuitive interplay between forms and lines. The exhibition continues an exploration of form, line, and colour in a series that began in 2014 and continues [... more]
A series of vibrant abstracts inspired by the landscape of North Head National Park in Manly, Australia, the area where Benvenuto works. The series is guided by intuition and emerges directly from the subconscious, drawing on the deep reservoirs of [... more]
A screening of 22 short films made in Gaza, accompanied by a live conversation with the Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi who launched the initiative. The films vary in length from three to six minutes; each presents a unique perspective on [... more]
Valentin Thurn's documentary shines a spotlight on the global scandal of food waste. Why do we throw away so much? On the way from the farm to the dinner table, more than half the food we grow gets thrown away. [... more]
The 43nd edition of SIBF promises to be the fair’s biggest edition ever, claiming to show more than 1.5 million titles by 2,500 publishing houses from 112 different countries. There will also be a packed 12-day agenda of more than [... more]
Continuing this seven-part lecture series by art historian Rose Balston on female artists from the 16th through to the 18th century – “women who have not only been side-lined, but literally (and shockingly) blocked out of history”, mainly by the [... more]
This talk by Leonardo Barilaro, pianist, composer and aerospace engineer, explores the intersection of science and art, transcending cultural barriers to bring people closer to the marvels of space. Dr Barilaro will showcase his compositions sent to the International Space [... more]
A research-based group show presented by the Italian Cultural Institute of Abu Dhabi in collaboration with ZU's College of Arts and Creative Enterprises (CACE). The exhibition explores the subtleties of feeling at home within oneself, one's work, and one's environment; [... more]
Fariba Boroufar’s first exhibition at the gallery features her signature woven forms. Reminiscent of elements of the built environment, they offer a poetical portrait of our broken present, a protest against forgetting, and a paean to another way of moving [... more]
The latest instalment of this exhibition features Fereydoun Ave's extraordinary collection of modern and contemporary Iranian and international art, from 1959 to the present – a potent (and highly recommended) reflection of the collector’s personal journey, connections, sensibilities, and experiences. [... more]
Nine days of “artistic celebration and cultural engagement” (7-15 November) to commemorate the 20th anniversary of DIFC, apparently with public art installations, panel talks, performances, live art, workshops for kids, and musical entertainment. The website doesn’t currently have much information [... more]
The late dealer / collector Yves Gastou (he passed away in 2020) was known for his educated eye, eclectic tastes, and an ability to discover lost gems and new talents in art, design, jewellery and exquisite taste generally. From an [... more]
A great coming-of-age movie – teen destined for ballet stardom discovers hip hop dance. She finds a new passion that challenges everything she knows. Torn between ballet and hip-hop, Kaya must decide which path to follow: the one set by [... more]
On its first ever concert in the UAE, the Seoul Philharmonic under the baton of Jaap Van Zweden is joined by the award-winning violinist Sarah Chang for Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5 in D minor. The programme also includes Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 [... more]
The first solo exhibition in Abu Dhabi in 50 years of works by Steven Naifeh, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, businessman and artist – particularly of large-scale geometric abstractions that owe much to hos appreciation of geometric art in the Middle East. [... more]
Seulgi Kim’s first solo exhibition in the Middle East brings to Volery Gallery a deeply personal exploration of her emotional journey,. The sea, which plays a central role in her work, becomes a metaphor for life’s turbulence and tranquillity; her [... more]
Originally launched in Dubai in 2021 to promote sustainable thrift shopping, this event arrives in Abu Dhabi with a makeover and what looks like a more commercial bent – the 40+ vendors do include thrift and vintage fashion, but there’s [... more]
This acclaimed interactive experience for the young has been a major success for Sydney Opera House; it’s a 40-minute show aimed at children aged 2 to 10 (and their families) which blends live music, storytelling, and song to introduce young [... more]
A stage adaptation of the fourth (and best-scripted) of the BBC sitcom originally written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. Dubai Drama Group really can't go wrong with this – a series of schemes by Captain Edmund Blackadder to escape [... more]
Charismatic, athletic Manish is a talented young street dancer from a poor Mumbai family who struggles against his parents’ insistance that he forgets his dreams of becoming a professional dancer. He meets Yehuda, a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet teacher who [... more]
The latest in Berklee Abu Dhabi’s concert series showcasing different musical styles and genres. Headlining are Canadian singer-songwriter JP Saxe (soulful R&B-influenced pop: he's on the left in the pic) and Jordanian singer/composer /producer Aziz Maraka (on the right: he's [... more]
A second Abu Dhabi Classics concert for the Seoul Philharmonic conducted by Jaap Van Zweden, again featuring a stellar young soloist in Inmo Yang. They will play one of the most popular concertos in the solo violin repertoire, Bruch’s Violin [... more]
Najib is a multidisciplinary artist from Iran whose practice includes painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, and art jewellery but primarily revolves around kinetic mechanisms and magnetic fields. His fascination with magnetism, ergonomic placement elements, and environmental sensing has led him to [... more]
An exhibition of recent paintings by the two artists that feature “unexpected protrusions and punctures … that are, as the philosopher Édouard Glissant describes it, ‘a poetics of errantry’, both adventurous wanderings and rebellious misdirections. Referencing forms and motifs from [... more]
A group exhibition featuring 28 women artists from the UAE, Russia, Iran, Armenia, India, Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Iceland, USA and more. These artists, who live and work across the globe, look at landscapes — urban, imagined, natural and artificial [... more]
Toluwani's fourth exhibition with the gallery (and his second in Dubai) looks at marriage in his native Nigeria. It provides insights into several marital practices observed across different local cultures and analyses prospects for the institution. To 7 January. Right: [... more]
A Public Open Day at L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts as part of Dubai Design Week. Expect tasters and demonstrations of the jewellery and gemstone courses, kids workshops, guided tours and other activities – and the new exhibition [... more]
A programme of dance-related shorts in the Move on Screen programme. The 24 films include 10 produced by students of the Sharjah Performing Art Academy; the remainder are by local filmmakers and artists.
The second and final performance by Dubai Drama Group of this stage adaptation of the fourth (and best-scripted) of the BBC sitcom – a series of schemes by Captain Edmund Blackadder to escape the horrors of World War One, aided [... more]
On the stage of the Opéra Bastille in Paris, 30 dancers from non-traditional genres – hip-hop, krump, break, voguing – reprise and remix Jean-Philippe Rameau's baroque 1735 masterpiece, Les Indes galantes. It’s an opera offensive to modern sensibilities that reflected [... more]
Élise (played by real-life Paris Opera Ballet principal ballerina Marion Barbeau in her first film rôle) thought she had the perfect life: an ideal boyfriend and a promising career as a ballet dancer. It all falls apart the day she [... more]
The young Ukrainian pianist Illia Ovcharenko is something of a must-see, especially when he's playing the Romantic repertoire – and most especially for his treatment of Liszt. Praised as “technically flawless and impeccably musical” (International Piano) and winner of multiple [... more]
The Nahr al Bared refugee camp was built in north Lebanon in 1948 for Palestinian families fleeing the Nakba. At the time, nobody considered the possibility that they might still be there 75 years later. In 2007, fighting erupted in [... more]
New work by the Bahraini artist, based on an interplay of colours and emotions where the intricate patterns of human behaviour are delicately overlapped with the rhythms of nature: "she reveals the intricate beauty of natural forms and how they [... more]
A solo exhibition of Alymamah Rashed’s latest work. A new series of large-scale watercolour and acrylic canvases, it's shaped by the belief that bodily connection to specific environments and elements can facilitate spiritual awakening. Rashed reflects on the immersion of [... more]
A return for this single-hander, written by and (we think) performed by Gillian Rhodes, who is really very good at this storytelling-with-performance sort of thing. This time it's a coming-of-age tale of a young boy in the late 19th century; [... more]
A captivating dance documentary that celebrates the life and work of the world-renowned choreographer Pina Bausch. During the preparations for the film in 2009, Bausch died suddenly; the dancers of Bausch's company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, convinced him to proceed as a [... more]
A second performance for Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige's speculative performance about the lost Roman city of Orthosia. buried beneath the Nahr al Bared refugee camp in north Lebanon. The ruins of the ancient city of Orthosia, lost since being [... more]
The Iraqi artist and calligrapher introduces the latest examples of his signature style, merging the beauty of classical Arabic scripts with modern design principles; Calligraforms transforms Thuluth script lettering into abstract, fluid forms that are removed their textual meaning and [... more]
When she was 12 years old, Melati Wijsen started a campaign to ban single-use plastic in Indonesia. Now 18, she decides to travel the globe seeking to connect with fellow young activists who are committed to making their world a [... more]
Niki Mukhi (guitar) and his quartet (Rami Lakkis, bass: Arindam Chakravarty, tabla: Ratish Chadha, drums) are joined by Vanraj Shastri (sarangi and vocals) for an evening of jazz, flamenco and Indian classical music.
This retrospective for the late Syrian artist honours Leila Nseir’s legacy and celebrates her contributions to art and feminism. Nseir’s art was rooted in humanist concerns and feminist thought, addressing themes of conflict, inequality, and poverty; her career was impacted [... more]
The artist, writer, art historian and collector Steven Naifeh will discuss his work, currently featured in a solo exhibition at Artbooth Gallery and at Abu Dhabi Art; his writing, notably his biography of Vincent van Gogh; and his collection of [... more]
The first in The Gallery Collective, a series of sort-of gallery takeovers whereby Sotheby's Dubai is giving its DIFC exhibition space over to a series of local galleries in a two-year run starting in November. Every six to eight weeks, [... more]
"If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth," said Albert Einstein, "man would have no more than four years left to live". That's because without the bees' pollinating work, agriculture could collapse and with it our ability to [... more]
Two spectacular dance projects show how a young generation of dancers from all over the world are rediscovering Pina Bausch's choreography: the Semperoper Ballet Company in Dresden rehearses her dance opera Iphigenia in Tauris, and dancers from all over Africa [... more]
Daniel Roby's film has a Parisian couple whose daughter suffers from an incurable disease that forces her to live in a hermetically sealed glass bubble. Then a mysterious toxic fog begins to spread in the Parisian streets, killing anyone who [... more]
"Hilarious live performances by up-and-coming stand-up comedians" at Ting Irie Abu Dhabi every other Tuesday (best to check their Instagram account @tingirieauh just to be sure). It's hosted by Funeral Home Comedy; the Jamaican vibe is always great, irrespective of [... more]
A handsome oyster farmer from the Mediterranean port town of Sète vows to win back his actress girlfriend after a botched proposal involving a ring hidden in an oyster shell. Fortunately, his friends are ready to do anything to help [... more]
16-year-old Bella and Vipulan are part of a generation that knows its very future is at risk – between climate change and the mass extinction of wildlife, their world could well be inhabitable 50 years from now. At the instigation [... more]
Works spanning the last eight years of the artist’s practice that critically engage with the socio-political contexts of architectural heritage and modernist ideologies and aesthetics. Drawing is at the centre of Amba Sayal-Bennett’s practice, expanding across works on paper, projections [... more]
A solo exhibition featuring Helal’s most recent body of work and a pivotal moment in the artist’s evolution, a more straightforward yet deeply expressive style without the constraints of his previous methods. The new approach, characterized by loose, dynamic strokes, [... more]
A solo show for the Mexican artist whose practice focuses on hybrid sculptural forms that draw inspiration from modernism, popular culture, and specific historic moments. In particular, Orlaineta explores post-war design and architecture, generally depicting biomorphic shapes with a strong [... more]
New work by the Lebanese-born Paris-based sculptor. Working mainly in wood but occasionally in marble or stone, Choukini's aethetic may appear somewhat primitivist; in fact his sculptures exhibit a sophisticated interrogation of organic and mechanical worlds. To 20 January.
Alhashemi's second solo exhibition at the gallery is her first after returning from the States with a Master’s in Fine Arts. Curated by Nasser Abdullah, this exhibition presents a series of works that build on her previous experiences, "appearing as [... more]
Behzad Noori, PhD is a self-described artist, writer, educator and necromancer; his research-based practice includes films, installations, and archival studies, investigating histories from the Global South, labour and the means of production, and histories of political relationships that have existed [... more]
A group show for three female artists whose backgrounds, experiences, and practices converge in a shared exploration of cultural heritage, personal memory, and emotional landscapes. Negin Fallah examines the intersection of tradition and transformation, where echoes of Iranian illuminated manuscripts [... more]
El Siwi's first solo exhibition in over a decade features both new paintings and pieces from an archive of earlier works: "the paintings shown here collectively present philosophical provocations and musings" says the gallery. The title references Upper Egypt and [... more]
An intimate look at the creative journey of the founder of the Injari contemporary clothing brand, Chinar Farooqui, and the narratives woven into each piece produced by Injiri, its dedication to traditional craftsmanship, and its emphasis on sustainable practices. To [... more]
Sharjah Arts Foundation’s annual indie/experimental film festival returns for its seventh edition, featuring around 30 UAE premieres. Most are in the Competition section, documentary and fiction films that have been nominated by an international committee of filmmakers and industry professionals. [... more]
This month's Laughter Factory tour has a particularly good look, with some top standups on the bill (and one more than usual). It kicks off at the Mövenpick as usual. The acts: Stephen Grant hard-working emcee, a genius British comic [... more]
Winston’s work blends art with sports culture, transforming everyday objects – deflated basketballs, cigarette butts, even the signatures of artists and athletes –into pieces that challenge viewers to reconsider the significance of these items; the results "resonate with resilience, legacy, [... more]
Aldo Dotti plays a 65 minute programme of piano favourites, outdoors at the Jumeriah Al Qasr's Céleste poolside restuarant. The programme: Mozart: Rondo alla Turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K 331 Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 12 [... more]
A new venue for the candlelit performance, the Al Azure Room at SeaWorld Yas Island. Aldo Dotti plays a 65 minute programme of piano favourites: Mozart: Rondo alla Turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K 331 Mozart: [... more]
This month's Laughter Factory tour has a particularly good look, with some top standups on the bill (and one more than usual). This is the earlier of two gigs today (the team moves on to the Mövenpick later). The acts: [... more]
A gig at Atlantis for one of the big-name EDM producer/DJs who really does merit the acclaim. Last time he was here, he sold out the place and delivered a great 150-minute performance with a terrific lights-and-lasers show and more [... more]
Nabil Ayouch’s grittily authentic tale of a rapper turned teacher helping his students find their creative voices is a class act. It manages to combine familiar cinematic tropes like 'strength through making music' and the inspirational teacher with a taste [... more]
This month's Laughter Factory tour has a particularly good look, with some top standups on the bill (and one more than usual). This is the second of two gigs today. The acts: Stephen Grant hard-working emcee, a genius British comic [... more]
This production debuted for four performances in May and two in July; all sold out (deservedly). It's now back for a run at Theatre by QE2 and these are its last two shows (at 3pm and 8pm). It's an English [... more]
AABF has changed its nomenclature from 'book fair' to 'book festival' for 2024, but this is till an important date for Arab-language publishers – and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), which organises it, has reported a "significant" increase [... more]
Alserkal Art Week returns 17-25 November. As usual many of the galleries will be opening new shows during the week (we count ten: they're listed separately in the Agenda), but the Alserkal Avenue people have been developing a programme themselves [... more]
A captivating dance documentary that celebrates the life and work of the world-renowned choreographer Pina Bausch. During the preparations for the film in 2009, Bausch died suddenly; the dancers of Bausch's company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, convinced him to proceed as a [... more]
Salakhov's work is “a profound exploration of the intersection between science, art, and spirituality, using sacred geometry to illuminate deep cosmic truths”. On show are 36 “meticulously crafted” acrylic paintings that reimagine Renaissance art through a modern lens, blending classical aesthetics [... more]
Ayesha Sultana’s first public talk in the UAE examines the complex relationship between the human body and the natural world, and in particular her hand-blown glass sculptures and watercolour paintings on tissue displayed at Ishara in her ongoing Fragility and [... more]
A compelling hybrid of drama and documentary, this film covers the events that led up to the infamous destruction of an extraordinary 300-year-old tree held sacred by the Indigenous Haida Nation of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. Inspired by John Vaillant’s [... more]
A solo show for the Emirati artist to open this new gallery in Abu Dhabi’s Mina al Zayed. Al Nahyan’s practice is based on foraging -- materials she collects on her walks through her family farm and elsewhere, are accentuated [... more]
Continuing this seven-part lecture series by art historian Rose Balston on female artists from the 16th through to the 18th century – “women who have not only been side-lined, but literally (and shockingly) blocked out of history”, mainly by the [... more]
Our everyday lives are sometimes like a jungle, where everybody has to fight for survival in their own way. This work for 17 dancers of the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company interprets the jungle as a place of collisions between [... more]
Since 2014, Black Box Cinema (founded and managed by Abu Dhabi-born actor and director Nawaf Al Janahi) has presented Arab-language short films since 2014. Screenings are at the Biennial Hub on Abu Dhabi Beach. In this Public Art Abu Dhabi [... more]
The 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art has 102 galleries, the largest number to date. It has five principal sectors: Modern & Contemporary: for established galleries (who have been operating for at least seven years) with curatorial framework for booth [... more]
A chance to see what the NYUAD MFA in Art and Media programme is all about – meet students and faculty, learn more about the programme, check out the application process and available scholarships (available for all students, with some [... more]
A panel discussion on the shared sociocultural topics of Lawrence Abu Hamdan’s Wsh Wsh (2024) and Nicholas Galanin’s In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra (2024). Abu Hamdan reimagines the intimate soundscapes of Damascene [... more]
This conversation extends from artist Christopher Joshua Benton’s Where Lies My Carpet Is Thy Home (2024), a vibrant, collaboratively made astroturf carpet developed with merchants from Abu Dhabi’s carpet souq and inspired by their stories and lives. The audience can [... more]
An open mic gig for local musicians playing 10-minute performance slots. If you want to play, online registrations open on 18 November; or turn up from 6.30pm on the night and you might get a slot.
Since 2014, Black Box Cinema (founded and managed by Abu Dhabi-born actor and director Nawaf Al Janahi) has presented Arab-language short films since 2014. Screenings are at the Biennial Hub on Abu Dhabi Beach. In this Public Art Abu Dhabi [... more]
The inaugural Tanweer Festival promises “a three-day celebration that transcends language, culture, and borders” on 22, 23 and 24 November in the desert at Mleiha, itself a treasure of visual and archaeological significance. ‘Tanweer’ means something like ‘enlightenment’, and the [... more]
The seventh edition of Sharjah Art Foundation’s Focal Point art book fair – the region’s only art book fair, we think – features local and international publishers with book launches, talks, workshops and musical performances during its run (22 to [... more]
Top international pianist plus full orchestra and “special guests”plays Disney soundtracks – "a musical and visual experience of Disney’s most popular songs”. Lang Lang has been touring his take on Disney for some time – Disney has a 60-minute TV [... more]
We don’t normally do fashion in magpie, but we do have a soft spot for Goshopia and its founder Araceli Gallego, repository and advocate respectively for sustainably-sourced don’t-scare-the-horses style in practical but very goodlooking wear, mostly for women. And now [... more]
The 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art has 102 galleries, the largest number to date. It has five principal sectors: Modern & Contemporary: for established galleries (who have been operating for at least seven years) with curatorial framework for booth [... more]
This panel involves artists whose work connects us within cities. Bjørnstjerne Christiansen (SUPERFLEX) speaks about interspecies relationships and gathering spaces for humans and other species; Afra Al Dhaheri explains how her work fosters sensory engagement, promoting balance amid modern life's [... more]
This listening session, performance, and talk draws on the philosophy of Globalisto – the interplay of sound, memory, and identity in diasporic communities – developed by multidisciplinary artist and curator Ntshepe Tsekere (DJ Mo Laudi). Field recordings and Afro-electronic compositions [... more]
A highly accessible recital by Laura Peribáñez (cello) and Luca Maringola (piano). Not so sure about 'soulful melodies', but this is a programme of short pieces that includes some favourites (Gershwin, Bach, Saint-Saëns) and some less familiar examples (Huguet, Cassadó, [... more]
Tania Candiani's contribution to the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial features an inflatable mobile stage that moves across the city, transforming urban spaces into hubs for collective exchange and endowing these spaces with renewed significance. The performers for this live [... more]
Classic surrealistic slapstick from France: Zazie is a brash and precocious ten-year-old (Catherine Demongeot) who comes to Paris for a whirlwind weekend with her rakish uncle (Philippe Noiret); he and the viewer get more than they bargained for, however. Louis [... more]
Delphine is a dance teacher ; her sister Solange composes and teaches the piano. Maxence, a poet and a painter, is doing his military service; Simon owns a music shop. They are all looking for love, without being aware that [... more]
The Jameel’s annual festival for eco-consciousness and sustainability is back for its fifth iteration. Expect activities for all ages themed around botanical, sustainable and eco-conscious living with hands-on workshops, tours, talks and demonstrations, plus new interactive art installations, experiential performances [... more]
A free weekend of solid professional development for creatives, hosted at GPP from 8.30am to 5pm on each day and run by Getty Images Middle East – hear from Getty Images’ people on what visuals are in demand by companies [... more]
Twelve paintings by the Italian artist featuring his trademark explosions of vivid colour, including his take on the UAE flag (above). He says his works place attention not on the subject, but rather on the gesture: "painting becomes the intermediary, [... more]
Rediscover Abu Dhabi's natural environment through the imagination of local participants. This workshop starts with a game-like activity (ink battle), then progresses to group activities on large pieces of paper. Participants can share local folktales and stories that take place [... more]
The 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art has 102 galleries, the largest number to date. It has five principal sectors: Modern & Contemporary: for established galleries (who have been operating for at least seven years) with curatorial framework for booth [... more]
Poets and writers Robert Deguzman and Trixie Balangao guide participants in using sense perception and body remembrance in a workshop mediated by the ocean. One of five poet-led workshops in the context of The poem that jumps the fence (2024) [... more]
Rimini Protokoll pushes the boundaries of conventional theatre. During this performance walk within the collective’s ‘Remote X’ series (2013–ongoing), you are invited to explore the growing presence of artificial intelligence in future cities; for this tour, designed specifically for Abu [... more]
Rimini Protokoll pushes the boundaries of conventional theatre. During this performance walk within the collective’s ‘Remote X’ series (2013–ongoing), you are invited to explore the growing presence of artificial intelligence in future cities; for this tour, designed specifically for Al [... more]
A candlelit performance on the Raffles' Royal Lawn. This programme of Beethoven favourites lasts around 65 minutes: ♦ 'Für Elise' (Bagatelle no.25 in A minor) ♦ Piano Sonata No.21 (Waldstein) – 1st movement ♦ Piano Sonata op. 27 No.2 (Moonlight) [... more]
The second evening for this interesting recital programme by Laura Peribáñez (cello) and Luca Maringola (piano). The programme: Rogelio Huguet I Tagell Artero: 'Flamenco' from Suite Espagnole No.1 (solo cello) Rachmaninoff: 'Vocalise' (arranged for cello and piano) Granados: 'Andaluza' Spanish [... more]
... and not just The Snowman: the completely brilliant animated film will be shown with live on-stage musical accompaniment by the National Youth Orchestra under the baton of Jonathan Barrett, but they will also be playing a concert of traditional [... more]
Tania Candiani's contribution to the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial features an inflatable mobile stage that moves across the city, transforming urban spaces into hubs for collective exchange and endowing these spaces with renewed significance. The performers for this live [... more]
Sancintya Mohini Simpson is a descended from indentured labourers sent from India to work on colonial sugar plantations in South Africa; her work navigates the complexities of migration, memory and trauma, moving between painting, video, poetry and performance to address [... more]
Augustine Paredes’ artist’s room brings together his own personal histories and stories that explore his relationship to identity and family via his personal journey as a migrant, navigating constantly between time, places and identities. Gradually moving away from the camera [... more]
The final performances of this Complices Théâtre production of Neil Simon’s farce. A group of friends gathers for a dinner party, only to find that something is not quite right – the kitchen staff have vanished, the hostess is missing, [... more]
"This festival aims to strengthen the alternative music community as well as introduce new audiences to the underground sounds and creative vibrancy of Dubai" – it should be a groovy evening to celebrate the UAE’s nearest approach to an alternative [... more]
The final day of the 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art. It has five principal sectors: Modern & Contemporary: for established galleries (who have been operating for at least seven years) with curatorial framework for booth presentations. This is the [... more]
Poet and writer Deepak Unnikrishnan leads this workshop/walk past street cats, night people, and cafeterias, towards our destination: the beach. He asks that you bring something valuable to you (even a person) and wear clothing that makes you smile ... [... more]
Rimini Protokoll pushes the boundaries of conventional theatre. During this performance walk within the collective’s ‘Remote X’ series (2013–ongoing), you are invited to explore the growing presence of artificial intelligence in future cities; for this tour, designed specifically for Abu [... more]
Rimini Protokoll pushes the boundaries of conventional theatre. During this performance walk within the collective’s ‘Remote X’ series (2013–ongoing), you are invited to explore the growing presence of artificial intelligence in future cities; for this tour, designed specifically for Al [... more]
Tania Candiani's contribution to the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial features an inflatable mobile stage that moves across the city, transforming urban spaces into hubs for collective exchange and endowing these spaces with renewed significance. The performers for this live [... more]
The Igor Moiseyev Ballet is a novel ensemble that blends classical ballet with folk dance. Founded by Moiseyev just before WW2, the company is credited with creating a new dance genre; it now led by Elena Shcherbakova. There are performances [... more]
Daniel Roby's film has a Parisian couple whose daughter suffers from an incurable disease that forces her to live in a hermetically sealed glass bubble. Then a mysterious toxic fog begins to spread in the Parisian streets, killing anyone who [... more]
A handsome oyster farmer from the Mediterranean port town of Sète vows to win back his actress girlfriend after a botched proposal involving a ring hidden in an oyster shell. Fortunately, his friends are ready to do anything to help [... more]
"Hilarious live performances by up-and-coming stand-up comedians" at Ting Irie Abu Dhabi every other Tuesday (best to check their Instagram account @tingirieauh just to be sure). It's hosted by Funeral Home Comedy; the Jamaican vibe is always great, irrespective of [... more]
A great coming-of-age movie – teen destined for ballet stardom discovers hip hop dance. She finds a new passion that challenges everything she knows. Torn between ballet and hip-hop, Kaya must decide which path to follow: the one set by [... more]
Dubai Culture has an interesting way to celebrate the UAE's 53rd National Day: this exhibition, curated by researcher and architect Rashed Al Mulla, revisits key moments in the UAE's history through examples of the country's postage stamps that highlight achievements [... more]
We love this idea -- it's a writers’ group intended for writers to practice their craft without the pressures of producing a final outcome, designed to provide a supportive environment for writers to write alone yet in a group. You're [... more]
What does 'home' mean to you? Your country, your city, your family? Abu Dhabi is conventionally but accurately described as a melting pot of people from all over the world, and if anything NYU Abu Dhabi represents even more of [... more]
Nabil Ayouch’s grittily authentic tale of a rapper turned teacher helping his students find their creative voices is a class act. It manages to combine familiar cinematic tropes like 'strength through making music' and the inspirational teacher with a taste [... more]
Season-ending special for one of the most consistently funny of the Courtyard's classic improv gigs, a feast of wit, spontaneity, and sheer bravery: "fearless guest presenters from this year’s past shows ... gather to compete in the ultimate showdown of [... more]
Group show with four artists, each bringing "a unique interpretation of Africa's spirit and culture": Keith Zenda showcases Zimbabwe’s historical and cultural richness with evocative depictions of heritage and community, Tonderai Mujuru is known for breath-taking wildlife scenes, Barry Lungu [... more]
Unscripted and unexpected, the team reacts to prompts from the audience. Classic improv, with the added bonus of experienced actors from the Junction's resident performers.
A 60-minute celebration of the sensational Argentine dance, “a whirlwind of romance and passion … The dancers, commanding the stage with precision and agility, invite you on an emotional journey through love and lust”. Two pro dancers, live music; sounds [... more]
A solo exhibition for the self-taught Armenian-Jordanian artist who uses her meticulously crafted works to explore the intricacies between visibility and concealment, using drapery as a metaphor for the complexities of human experience. This series of works delves into the [... more]
A group show for three female artists whose backgrounds, experiences, and practices converge in a shared exploration of cultural heritage, personal memory, and emotional landscapes. Negin Fallah examines the intersection of tradition and transformation, where echoes of Iranian illuminated manuscripts [... more]
Last chance to see Bouchra Khalili’s 2017 video work, part of a long series devoted to the legacy of Al Assifa ('The Tempest' in Arabic) – a theatre group comprising North African immigrant workers and French students that was active [... more]
The accomplished young Russian pianist Anna Geniushene plays an evening of Brahms – the Scherzo in E flat Minor; two Choral Preludes from “11 Chorale Preludes for Organ”, op.122 (arranged for piano); and the Piano Sonata No.1.
"Clean and family friendly stand up" about "everyday relatable things like bargaining at shops, learning how to cook and getting married the old-fashioned arranged-marriage way".
The highly successful stage adaptation of the iconic MGM film about silent film actors who face their share of struggles over the gradual transition to talkies. The plot isn't what matters, of course; it's the songs – classics like Good [... more]
The era-defining British rap artist Mike Skinner makes his Dubai debut with his band (also called The Streets). He's been quiet for a while, mostly DJing and working on a film that he largely wrote and directed himself (The Darker [... more]
The highly successful stage adaptation of the iconic MGM film about silent film actors who face their share of struggles over the gradual transition to talkies. The plot isn't what matters, of course; it's the songs – classics like Good [... more]
The highly successful stage adaptation of the iconic MGM film about silent film actors who face their share of struggles over the gradual transition to talkies. The plot isn't what matters, of course; it's the songs – classics like Good [... more]