Dubai Culture has announced the completion of all preparations for the 14th edition of Sikka Arts & Design Festival, to be held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, from January 23 to February 1 in the historic Al Shindagha district. The festival will feature over 450 creators and artists from the UAE, the region, and the world. Under the theme 'Dubai's Visions: Narrating Our Future Identity', the Authority aims to provide an innovative platform that brings together a wide spectrum of art forms and celebrates pioneering creators alongside emerging talents from the UAE and the Gulf, while highlighting international artistic visions through 'International Houses'. This reflects Dubai Culture's commitment to enhancing Dubai's status as a global hub for culture, a cradle for creativity, and a meeting point for talents.
The festival, which falls under the umbrella of the Dubai Art Season, presents a rich, multidisciplinary program that includes visual arts, performance, design, public art, technology, and creative programs. This contributes to boosting cultural and creative industries and showcasing the richness of the local artistic landscape. The event will feature over 250 artworks by Emirati, Gulf, and resident artists, distributed across 16 houses, each offering a diverse artistic experience, installations, distinctive sculptures, and interactive spaces inspired by the festival's theme. Among them are: the 'Public Art House', the 'Visual Arts House' led by Moza Al Loutah, the 'Art & Technology House' curated by Isra Ozkan, the 'Ceramics House' supervised by Kamel Al Zaabi, the 'Photography House' headed by Ahlam Al Bannai, and the 'Design House' jointly managed by Saeed Al Ketti and Majida Al Awadi. The festival also includes the 'Gulf House' curated by Yara Ayoub, the 'Urban Culture House' led by Ahmed Makary, the 'Institutional House' managed by Anoud Al Bukhams and Zine Adhami, the 'Culinary Arts House' headed by Nora Al Falahi, and the 'International House' curated by Kotaro Watanabe.
Throughout its duration, the festival will host a series of workshops, panel discussions, and dialogues featuring a selection of creators, aimed at discussing pivotal topics in the sector, as well as providing practical and interactive learning opportunities for both adults and children. The program also includes the launch of a series of murals and large-scale outdoor installations, in line with the 'Public Art Strategy'.
In the same context, event attendees can look forward to a variety of art exhibitions and musical performances, along with dinner clubs and a food market, aimed at providing a dedicated space for creative entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products inspired by culture, design, and creative expression.
Shaima Rashid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Arts, Design, and Literature at Dubai Culture, noted that the successes achieved by the Sikka Arts & Design Festival over its various editions reflect the importance of its standing and its impact on the local and regional art scene, making it an inspiring platform to stimulate the creative community to contribute to supporting cultural and creative industries. She affirmed that the festival embodies Dubai Culture's continuous efforts to support the cultural and creative scene in Dubai by providing an environment that fosters innovation and creativity. She said: 'Since its inception, the festival has become an integral part of the arts ecosystem that Dubai embraces, thanks to its ability to enrich the artistic movement with promising talents, open new horizons for artists, and encourage them to express their ideas and perspectives, enabling them to produce new and innovative artworks that highlight the richness of the local art sector. This aligns with our sectoral priorities aimed at enhancing Dubai's status as a global hub for the creative economy.' She added: 'The Sikka festival is distinguished by its integrated, community-based model that transcends the concept of traditional art exhibitions by providing spaces for experimentation, dialogue, and collaboration among various artistic disciplines, in addition to fostering direct interaction between artists, creative practitioners, and the public.'
It is worth noting that the festival's theme draws inspiration from Dubai's history and nature as a city shaped by movement, exchange, and reinvention, offering an open framework for reflecting on the evolution of its cultural identity, providing space for imagination, dialogue, and experimentation while maintaining a connection to the city's history and lived reality. This reflects the continuous interaction between heritage, humanity, and ideas as fundamental drivers in shaping Dubai's identity.
