This week’s editorial musings from magpie’s nest<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The quote<\/mark><\/strong> The world is a museum of other people\u2019s passion projects John Collison<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jazz Abu Dhabi<\/mark><\/strong> Abu Dhabi, UNESCO-designated City of Music, is hosting the All-Star International Jazz Day<\/strong> concert on 30 April (featuring Herbie Hancock, as usual, plus a galaxy of as-yet unnamed stars). Around this is a busy Jazz Month<\/strong> schedule during April and May, with lots of \u2018Arabic jazz\u2019 \u2013 we\u2019re looking forward to the Bait Al Oud Jazz Band<\/strong> \u2013 plus the likes of Fola Daad<\/strong> from Germany, the very cool Motel Kaij\u016b<\/strong> quartet from Milan, top trumpet player Riley Mulherkar<\/strong>, and a load more. Looks a very strong programme; we’ll have listings in the Agenda<\/strong><\/a>, but some details are here<\/strong><\/a> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Curator opp<\/mark><\/strong> Art Jameel<\/strong> has a Curatorial Open Call for exhibition proposals<\/strong><\/a> to be developed for Jeddah’s Hayy Jameel in May 2026. Proposals should relate to the Red Sea but otherwise look wide open; there\u2019s a curatorial fee of SAR 37,500 with travel and accommodation covered by Art Jameel (which will also look after fees, travel and accommodation for artists). Details here<\/strong><\/a> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kids’ books competitions<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong> The Sharjah Children\u2019s Reading Festival<\/strong><\/a> (23 Apr \u2013 4 May, Expo Centre Sharjah) is running three prize competitions<\/strong><\/a> for Arab-language authors, publishers, and illustrators. Total prize money is AED 110,000, deadline is 31 March, info is here<\/strong><\/a> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanity plate report<\/mark><\/strong> The recent licence plate auction<\/strong> in Dubai raised just shy of AED 84m for the Fathers’ Endowment charity. A big chunk of it went on ‘DD5′,<\/strong> which sold for AED 35m …<\/p>\n\n\n\n The common man is a simple creature<\/mark><\/strong> H72 Productions is auditioning for a June run of Gogol\u2019s The Government Inspector<\/strong>. Lots of parts available; audition on afternoon of 22 or 23 March with a two-min monologue, sign up here<\/strong><\/a> … <\/p>\n\n\n\n Project for the week<\/mark><\/strong> Let\u2019s rename the Americano<\/strong> as the Gulp of Mexico<\/strong> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arts Fran\u00e7aise<\/mark><\/strong> \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bWe missed the opening a few days ago, but running during Ramadan at the Sorbonne is an impressively broad-ranging survey of art by (mainly French-speaking) women in the UAE<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 a total of 24 artists from the Francophone collectives F\u00e9minin Pluriel<\/strong> (from Dubai) and AD\u2019Art<\/strong> (Abu Dhabi) plus three invited guests. It\u2019s an interesting show, not least in its variety \u2026 Lumi\u00e8res de Femmes<\/strong> runs to 29 March in the SUAD Atrium. Info here<\/strong><\/a> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tag plus<\/mark><\/strong> <\/strong>The Kabaddi World Cup<\/strong><\/a> is being held outside Asia for the first time, and the BBC is streaming it live<\/strong><\/a>. Quick primer here<\/a><\/strong> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hong Kong film<\/mark><\/strong> Cinema Akil\u2019s Hong Kong Film Gala<\/strong><\/a> mini-festival is back, with eight HK films showing 22-28 March. The opener is an Iftar style reception featuring a menu of Ugly Noodles followed by An Abandoned Team (2024), directed by Thomas Lee and Daniel Ho \u2013 unexpected bond between grumpy old man and stray dog \u2013 and a post-film Q&A with Lee. A season pass is a bargain AED 150. Full info here<\/strong><\/a> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sad for him<\/mark><\/strong> The decline in the share price of Tesla<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 down 50% since its post-election peak \u2013 has left the Musky one an estimated $148bn poorer (he\u2019ll now have just the $333bn to get by on). Sales are sharply down in mainland Europe, flatlining in the UK and elsewhere …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Something for the weekend<\/mark><\/strong> Quickflip<\/strong><\/a> is a really quick daily word puzzle \u2013 flip the tiles to reveal letters. Two words are possible but only one is correct. Try it here<\/strong><\/a> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things we didn\u2019t know no.94<\/mark><\/strong> Abu Dhabi has just signed up for 10,000-drone light shows<\/strong>, says the press release, but we didn’t know UAE certification for a commercial drone pilot can be obtained in just three days with training; experienced pilots make around AED 10,000 per month (which doesn’t sound much to us …)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earworm of the week<\/mark><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong><\/a>Nina <\/a><\/strong><\/strong>Versyp<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/a> : HAZY<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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