The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced that the 'Dubai Art Season 2026', launching tomorrow and running until April 26, will bring together a diverse array of artistic and entertainment events across the emirate under the slogan 'Journey Through the World of Art and Creativity'. The Dubai Art Season, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, will kick off concurrently with the 18th edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which starts tomorrow and runs until the 27th at InterContinental Dubai Festival City City, featuring a elite lineup of writers, creators, and thinkers from around the world. The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, ranked among the top 10 literary festivals globally, will present a rich program of inspiring stories, insightful dialogues, and interactive activities, including 'Verses from the Depths of the Desert' and a session 'Arabian Nights: Poetry and Law'. Meanwhile, Dubai Culture will patronize the 'Emirati' and 'Translation' pillars, celebrating the contributions of Emirati writers, intellectuals, and translators, both established and emerging, and their vital role in fostering dialogue between communities and enriching the local cultural landscape. Over April 24-25, 'Al Quoz' will host the Al Quoz Arts Festival, held with the support and strategic partnership of Dubai Culture in the Al Quoz creative area. It features a lineup of musical performances, exceptional cultural experiences, alongside art exhibitions, live and creative shows, and family-friendly recreational activities, offering a comprehensive cultural and artistic experience. Dubai Culture will also celebrate visual arts, performance arts, design, public art, technology, and creative programs through the Sikka Arts Festival. During its 14th edition, held under the slogan 'Imagine Dubai: Identities of the Future' in the historic Al Shindagha district from January 23 to February 1, the public can follow a collection of artworks by Emirati and resident artists, as well as a series of entertainment and musical performances, workshops, and discussion sessions. The season's program will also feature the 20th edition of Art Dubai, hosted in Jumeirah from April 18-20 under the slogan 'Past, Present, and Future'. It will offer visitors the chance to visit over 100 contemporary and digital art fairs from 35 countries within a multidisciplinary and multicultural program, with the new edition seeing 36 exhibitors participate for the first time. The 12th edition of the Dubai World Art Fair will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 22-26, giving art enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire artworks at accessible prices, thereby encouraging art collection, promoting a culture of artistic appreciation, stimulating promising talents, and providing them with a platform to emerge and gain recognition. Dubai Opera will present a series of musical and theatrical performances that highlight the creations of regional and international talents in the performing arts and music. Dubai Culture continues to celebrate the UAE's artistic identity and its evolution over five decades through the 'Witnesses of Change' exhibition, organized at the Union Museum until June 30. The exhibition includes around 60 works from the Barjeel Art Foundation collection, bearing the imprint of a select group of pioneering and contemporary artists who lived and worked in the country since 1971. The season will also include the 'Poems of the Birds' exhibition, organized by L'École, Middle East, a school of jewelry arts, until April 25. It sheds light on the dialogue between Islamic arts and Western jewelry in the 19th and 20th centuries, showcasing more than 150 exceptional creative works from over 20 entities. Salim Shukri Al Burque, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Dubai Culture, stated that the Dubai Art Season represents a pivotal milestone in the emirate's cultural and creative sector development, serving as a comprehensive platform that enhances the competitiveness of cultural and creative industries and fosters a sustainable creative environment that empowers talents to transform their ideas and visions into impactful artistic experiences. He said: 'The Dubai Art Season embodies Dubai's aspirations and its unique vision to become a global hub for culture, a cradle for creativity, and a meeting point for talents. Through its diverse programs and activities, it delivers an integrated ecosystem of cultural and artistic events that reflect the emirate's spirit and highlight its ability to attract brilliant talents from diverse cultures. The season also supports cultural tourism and builds bridges of dialogue and intellectual exchange between the creative community and the public, in line with the Authority's strategic objectives to enrich the cultural landscape and reinforce the emirate's global leadership.'
