The SIKKA Art Fair is an annual event created by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority in 2011 as a commissioned art exhibition to showcase emerging artists from the United Arab Emirates. [1] Originally focused on visual arts only but later widened its scope to cover film screenings, music, talks and workshops. Sikka takes place in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood (al Bastakiya), The Arabic word sikka means alleyway. [2]
In its tenth iteration in 2022, Sikka expanded its scope to encompass a broader array of multidisciplinary practices, compared to its predecessors. This edition places a significant emphasis on design-oriented initiatives and technology-driven artworks. Moreover, Sikka introduced more immersive installations that combine multimedia elements, including video and photography, with research-based projects.
Najat Makki is an Emirati visual artist. She is a member of the Dubai Cultural Council. and one of the pioneers in Emirati contemporary art scene.
Art in Dubai is an emerging activity in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. New galleries such as Carbon 12 Dubai, art fairs, artists, art patrons and collectors have grown in number.
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is a historic district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Dubai Opera is a 2,000-seat, multi-format, performing arts centre located within The Opera District in Downtown Dubai. It was developed by Emaar Properties to host a variety of performances and events including theatre, opera, ballet, concerts, conferences and exhibitions. Its plans were announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in March 2012 and it was completed in 2016. It opened on 31 August 2016 with a performance by Plácido Domingo. The first season featured Bizet's The Pearl Fishers opera and tenor José Carreras. Dubai Opera has flat floor capacity of 1,800 m2 (19,000 sq ft). This floor can be hired for weddings, gala dinners, fashion shows and exhibitions.
The Tirgan Festival is a biennial four-day celebration of Iranian arts and culture held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Festival celebrates Iranian arts and culture through an array of artistic and literary disciplines including music, dance, cinema, theatre, history, literature and visual arts. The festivals are held in multiple locations in Toronto, such as the Harbourfront Centre, the Distillery District, and St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. Tirgan Festival 2019 accommodated over 250 artists, 140 performances, and professional speakers.
Dubai Culture is an authority under Government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which works in preservation of the cultural heritage and support of cultural scene in Dubai.
Maisoon Al Saleh is an Emirati visual artist based out of Dubai. Her artistic style is surrealism with commentary on modern and traditional Emirati culture. Her paintings often feature the skeletons of humans and animals.
Art Dubai is an international art fair that takes place every March in Dubai. Founded in 2007, Art Dubai is a major platform for art from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Each year, the fair features a globally diverse lineup of over 90 galleries from more than 40 different countries,
Tashkeel is an art facility in the United Arab Emirates. Established in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2008 by Lateefa bint Maktoum, Tashkeel seeks to provide a nurturing environment for the growth of contemporary art and design practice rooted in the UAE. Through multi-disciplinary studios, work spaces and galleries located in both Nad Al Sheba and Al Fahidi, it enables creative practice, experimentation and dialogue among practitioners and the wider community.
A non-profit art organization consists of an annual art exhibition as well as an expanded program of talks and collateral events in The United Arab Emirates. Participating artists and curators for the juried exhibition are selected via an open call announced every December.
Abu Dhabi Art is an art fair that takes place every November in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, featuring art gallerias, art and design foundations, as well as additional educational programming and talks.
Ebtisam Abdulaziz is a contemporary Emirati artist and writer born and raised in Sharjah, UAE. She works with geometry and mathematics to address issues of belonging and identity through installations, performance art and other media.
Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum is an Emirati artist and curator, member of Dubai's ruling family and founder of FN Design; a multi-functional space for art & design events in Al Quoz, UAE. She is a second cousin once removed of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai.
Mattar Bin Lahej is an Emirati painter, photographer and sculptor from Dubai. He founded Marsam Mattar, the first art gallery in the United Arab Emirates to be managed by an artist. Bin Lahej is also the artist and calligrapher behind the facade on the museum of the future, making it one of the most prominent buildings and structures in Dubai and is described as "the only building that speaks Arabic"
Nuqat is a nonprofit organisation based in Kuwait that focuses on cultural development in the region. Diverse participants from all over the world join Nuqat throughout the year to discuss design, entrepreneurship, architecture, fine arts, technology, culture, and every aspect of life that creativity permeates.
Nedaa Elias is a Syrian artist and writer whose works address environmental and cultural concerns pertaining to contemporary Middle Eastern societies. Subjects previously explored by Elias include the discontinuation of the usage of the Arabic script, as well as the effect of bird migration on the gulf’s economy.
Sylvia Grace Borda is a Canadian artist working in photography, video and emergent technologies. Borda has worked as a curator, a lecturer, a multimedia framework architect with a specialization in content arrangement (GUI) and production. Born and raised in Vancouver, Borda is currently based in Vancouver, Helsinki, and Scotland. Her work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally.
Amber Robles-Gordon is an American mixed media visual artist. She resides in Washington, DC and predominantly works with found objects and textiles to create assemblages, large-scale sculptures, installations and public artwork.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and a member of Dubai Council and the Executive Council of Dubai. She is also the vice chairman of Emirates Literature Foundation, a board member of Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives and honorary president of the Association of Graduates of Zayed University in Dubai.
SIKKA Art Fair was managed and represented by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller from 2011 to 2015. [1]