This week’s editorial musings
from magpie’s nest<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The quote:<\/mark><\/strong> She feels in\u00a0italics<\/em>\u00a0and thinks in CAPITALS\u00a0| Henry James<\/em> …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Register here<\/mark><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong> DCT Abu Dhabi<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has launched a\u00a0Register of Cultural Organisations and Professionals<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and wants you to sign up here if you\u2019re an organisation or individual in the\u00a0visual or performing arts<\/strong>,\u00a0AV and multimedia<\/strong>,\u00a0architecture<\/strong>,\u00a0advertising<\/strong>,\u00a0crafts<\/strong>,\u00a0heritage<\/strong>,\u00a0archives<\/strong>,\u00a0libraries<\/strong>,\u00a0publishing<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cor any other culture-related area of activity\u201d. Registration is voluntary \u201cat this stage\u201d but\u00a0ROCOP membership<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0will be required for anyone wanting to work with DCT Abu Dhabi (or to get funding from it).\u00a0Sign up here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miami to Dubai via Rue<\/mark><\/strong> Rue Kothari\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>has been named as Director of\u00a0Design Miami Dubai<\/strong><\/a>, the partnership between Alserkal and Design Miami that brings the global platform for collectible design to the region. For five formative years she ran\u00a0Downtown Design<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in the period that made the interiors fair a key part of Dubai Design Week;\u00a0Downtown Design is more of a B2B event, Design Miami sells itself more as design-as-art collectibles fair \u2013 not unlike the Down Design spin-off\u00a0Editions<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(which came along after her stint). Design Miami Dubai launches early 2027 …<\/p>\n\n\n\n Showtime<\/mark><\/strong> Described as “the UAE\u2019s first collaborative gallery exhibition”,\u00a0D\u00e9j\u00e0 vu<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is a 14-day selling show in Alserkal Avenue\u2019s Concrete from\u00a025 April<\/strong>. It features 50+ artists represented by 20 UAE galleries; the aim is to provide them with a commercial opportunity given the current state of the world … Also in the Avenue, Ishara Art Foundation\u2019s excellent\u00a0Urdu Worlds<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has been extended by a couple of weeks to\u00a013 June<\/strong>\u00a0… And don\u2019t miss the last chance to take in another really good exhibition, 421\u2019s 10-year anniversary show\u00a0Rays, Ripples, Residue<\/strong><\/a>, which closes\u00a026 April\u00a0<\/strong>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Opp 1<\/strong><\/mark> Sharjah Art Foundation’s\u00a0Short Film Production Grant<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 apply for share of AED 120,000 (usually 3-4 grantees) to complete a short film (max 50 mins) to be premiered at Sharjah Film Platform 2026. Deadline 28 May,\u00a0details here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Opp 2<\/mark><\/strong> Iris Projects<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in Abu Dhabi has an open call for\u00a0artists, writers, poets, photographers, designers\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0creatives<\/strong>\u00a0(including children) for\u00a0contributions to \u201ca living memory collective\u201d titled\u00a0Still We Create<\/strong><\/a>, aiming to preserve the memory of the present moment through artistic expression. Selected works will be exhibited and published in a book, both planned for late 2026. Deadline\u00a018 May<\/strong>.\u00a0Info here\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Opp 3<\/mark><\/strong> DXB Store<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is participating in the Cultural Commons section of Art Dubai (14-17 May). It\u2019s looking for proposals from UAE-based\u00a0makers, designers, collectives\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0creative practitioners<\/strong>\u00a0offering \u201cfunctional objects, accessories, apparel, stationery and design objects\u201d; they should be\u00a0new<\/strong>\u00a0(or specifically adapted for the DXB Store) and have a\u00a0max price of AED 500<\/strong>. Deadline for proposals is\u00a026 April<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 queries to\u00a0hello@dxbstore.ae<\/a><\/strong>; more info\u00a0here<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Opp 4<\/mark><\/strong> Capsule Arts<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is looking for \u201ca creative and career-driven\u201d\u00a0Art Consultant<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 1-3 years of experience in a similar role (pitches, artist and client liaison, architecture and\/or interior design) and proficiency in AutoCAD, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch-Up, and Microsoft Office (blimey, good luck with that lot). Apply by\u00a01 May<\/strong>\u00a0with CV to\u00a0cv@capsulearts.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walk the dome<\/mark><\/strong> One of the new\u00a0Louvre Abu Dhabi<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0guided tours for adults is the\u00a0Architectural Experience<\/strong><\/a>, a survey of the ideas and innovations behind the creation of the museum: seven stops around the places, finishing up with a special walk inside the iconic dome \u2013 which alone should be worth the AED 170 price, even if you don\u2019t count the free copy of\u00a0Louvre Abu Dhabi: Story of an Architectural Project<\/em>. Every Saturday at 10.30am; lasts 90 minutes.\u00a0Book here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check \u2018em out<\/mark><\/strong> It can take an incomer\u00a0years to figure out all the\u00a0traditions, beliefs and hidden wrinkles<\/strong>\u00a0that are in place among the locals. If you want some shortcuts,\u00a0this resource<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0from Australian public broadcasters SBS might be worth keeping handy; it has accessible profiles of the cultural norms, behaviours and communication styles of several different\u00a0communities. The UAE isn\u2019t in there; lots of other places are, however, so your next move (or extended holiday) could benefit\u00a0…\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Write young<\/mark><\/strong> Sahab Collective<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s Young Writers Programme runs on Saturdays, 5.30-7pm from 2 May to 18 July at \u2060Al Safa Art & Design Library<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 young people come together and work toward publishing a short story of 2,000 words. \u2018Young\u2019 means aged 11-16.\u00a0Info here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wikispot<\/mark><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong> The\u00a0Wikipedia app<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(free for iOS and Android) is very good \u2013 not least because of its maps feature showing the location of Wikipedia-based articles. Most are pretty standard and usefully informational; but there are some real gems, like the\u00a0Hollywood Freeway chickens entry\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n BRED delayed<\/mark><\/strong> BRED Abu Dhabi<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a \u2018neo-culture\u2019 festival of music, fashion, art, sport, gaming and street food, usually held on Yas \u2013 has been\u00a0postponed<\/strong>\u00a0from its original May 2026 dates. All tickets will be automatically refunded through whatever ticketing platform you used\u00a0…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Frieze open<\/mark><\/strong> Gallery applications are now open for the inaugural edition of\u00a0Frieze Abu Dhabi<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(Manarat Al Saadiyat 19\u201322 Nov). Seems the fair is conceived at \u201ca focused scale<\/strong>\u201d (does that mean small?) but with\u00a0expanded stand sizes<\/strong>\u00a0and \u201ca newly designed layout<\/strong>\u00a0that will prioritise clarity, dialogue, and sustained engagement\u201d. The Selection Committee has some local heavyweights \u2013\u00a0Yasmin Atassi<\/strong>\u00a0(Green Art Gallery),\u00a0Asmaa Al-Shabibi<\/strong>\u00a0(Lawrie Shabibi),\u00a0Amrita Jhaveri<\/strong>\u00a0(Jhaveri Contemporary),\u00a0Sandhini Poddar<\/strong>\u00a0(Guggenheim Abu Dhabi) and\u00a0Glenn Scott Wright<\/strong>\u00a0(Victoria Miro). Frieze Abu Dhabi will offer\u00a0bursaries<\/strong>\u00a0of \u201cup to\u201d 30% for younger galleries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside the fair there\u2019ll be two curated sections \u2013\u00a0Global Futures<\/strong>\u00a0for solo presentations by early to mid-career artists from the UAE and West Asia:\u00a0Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi<\/strong>\u00a0for \u201cexceptional objects and artefacts from West Asia … exploring the lasting legacies that characterise ancient art from the region\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gallery applications close\u00a014 May\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zayed Book Awards<\/mark><\/strong> The 20th\u00a0Sheikh Zayed Book Award<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has the\u00a0Emirates Literature Foundation<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(responsible among other things for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature) winning the Publishing & Technology category. Other prizes: Births in the Zoo by Egyptian novelist\u00a0Ashraf Elashmawy<\/strong>\u00a0(Literature award), Moroccan scholar\u00a0Mustapha Rajouane<\/strong>\u00a0(Young Author), Jordanian author\u00a0Zuhair Tawfiq<\/strong>\u00a0(Literary and Art Criticism), Egypt\u2019s\u00a0Otham Elkhosht<\/strong>\u00a0for his six-volume Encyclopaedia of World Religions (Manuscripts, Encyclopaedias and Lexicons category), and two international authors \u2013 German academic\u00a0Stefan Weidner<\/strong>\u00a0for a reader-friendly survey of pre-Islamic poetry, Iraqi-American translator\u00a0Nawal Nasrallah<\/strong>\u00a0for her English version of a 13th-century Al-Andalus cookbook. Egyptian singer\u00a0Nagat El Saghira<\/strong>, \u201cone of the last surviving voices of the golden age of Arabic music\u201d, was awarded Cultural Personality of the Year\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is AI killing your job?<\/mark><\/strong> JobsData<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is a research aggregator that pulls together 522 sources (currently) into something actually readable \u2013 covering displacement projections, productivity studies, hiring trends and sector-by-sector exposure data. Most of the data sources are US-centric but the indicators still look relevant globally\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Useful app of the week<\/mark><\/strong> My bookmarks tend to pile up and some never get revisited. This tool saves links and automatically titles and categorises them\u00a0so you can find anything in seconds. No manual tagging, no folders to manage, and it\u2019s free.\u00a0Try it here<\/a>\u00a0…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Something for the weekend<\/mark><\/strong>\u00a0With\u00a0Wordfall<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0you have to connect adjacent letters on a grid to spell out words. Each time you get a word it disappears and the remaining letters drop down; the aim is to clear as much of the grid as possible, preferably leaving the \u201cgolden\u201d tiles for last \u2013 they spell out a bonus word that gets you extra points.\u00a0Try it here<\/a>\u00a0…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Things we didn\u2019t know no.94<\/mark><\/strong>\u00a0Google<\/strong>\u00a0has shipped and then killed\u00a0299 products<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0since 2006\u00a0…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earworm of the week<\/mark> <\/a><\/strong>Nova Twins : Monsters<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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