Top Up coming Events in Sharjah, UAE 2023
This year is no exception to the UAE’s rapid transformation into a regional centre for creativity in general and the arts. Expect these art fairs, festivals, and conferences to be larger and better than ever before as live events move away from the hybrid model and international travel is once again in full force.
The major events on this list have dates that have already been released, however information for this year’s Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Art, and Dubai Design Week is still pending.
Al Hosn Festival
This year’s Al Hosn Festival, a singular cultural event that investigates where the capital’s story began and how it progresses, examines the historical customs of Abu Dhabi.
Live concerts, art and cultural exhibitions, traditional markets, family workshops, and other events are held in Qasr Al Hosn, which also houses the House of Artisans and the Cultural Foundation, the capital’s cultural hub.
Date: January 13–22
Location: The city of Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Festival
Al Wathba will continue to host the Sheikh Zayed Festival for a few more months, bringing cultural traditions and desert celebrations to the emirate. The Sheikh Zayed Festival this year honours regional traditions and celebrates UAE heritage under the theme Hayakum, which translates to “welcome” in Arabic.
The Art District, which is brand-new this year, offers classes where guests may pour acrylic. More than 15 theatres that regularly exhibit a variety of cultural and entertainment activities are part of the festival.
Date: Until March 18
Location: Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, and renowned authors, academics, and Hollywood stars will be present to commemorate the occasion.
Among the well-known authors in attendance are Irish author Cecelia Ahern, author of PS, I Love You and Where Rainbows End, and British-Pakistani novelist Mohsin Hamid, whose critically acclaimed works The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Exit West have received widespread acclaim.
Old Friends, the festival’s theme, is a reflection of how far it has come in influencing the UAE literary landscape, from introducing readers to well-known authors to giving local authors a stage to display their creative prowess.
Date: February 1–6
Location: in Dubai, at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City and the Mohamed bin Rashid Library
Quoz Arts Fest
The 10th Quoz Arts Fest, titled Shift Away, will feature live performances, curated workshops, fresh exhibitions, and more for attendees.
The warehouses on Alserkal Avenue open to the public, showcasing artwork created by artists from all over the world as well as showing movies and hosting musical performances by Saint Levant and Bu Kolthoum, among others.
The Quoz Encore cooperation between Quoz Arts Fest and The Fridge, which promises to highlight the best of the UAE’s up-and-coming talent, will appeal to music fans as well.
Date: January 28–29
Location: Alserkal Avenue in Dubai
Xposure International Photography Festival
A photographer’s paradise, with speeches by well-known artists from around the world, critiques of portfolios, contests, exhibits, seminars, focus groups, and more.
Over the course of seven days, top industry figures like Dan Winters and Steve McCurry will be there, and there will also be a trade show where consumers can purchase the newest goods or find inspiration.
67 shows showcasing a variety of photographic disciplines, from landscape to celebrity and automotive, will be held this year.
Date: February 9–15
Location: Expo Sharjah Center
Sharjah Biennial 15
The exhibition, titled Sharjah Biennial 15: Thinking Historically in the Present, was created by Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, the director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, and Okwui Enwezor, a curator, art critic, and writer from Nigeria who passed away in 2019.
16 locations in Sharjah, including a vegetable market, a power plant, and a disused nursery, will host the biennial. 30 significant commissions will be highlighted to commemorate the platform’s 30th birthday.
Date: From February 7 to June 11
Location: Various locations around Sharjah
Art Dubai
The Art Dubai programme for this year emphasises how important it is for communities and creative industries from the Global South to connect at the festival.
Along with world premieres by well-known international artists, it will include a number of unique commissions created just for the location. The development of Dubai’s cultural infrastructure is supported by a conference, talks, and educational programme that run concurrently with this.
In addition, as part of a second, larger Art Dubai Digital, Art Dubai will debut UAE First Immersion, a display of fresh creations by a number of digital artists.
The occasion will also hold the transdisciplinary conference 16th Global Art Forum, host the region’s first Christie’s Art+Tech summit, and celebrate the 10th anniversary of Art Dubai’s professional development programme, Campus Art Dubai.
Date: 3 – 5 March
Location: At Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.
Conclusion
The UAE is the home of significant international arts and culture events. The UAE’s Ministry of Culture and Youth works to advance the cultural industry. In addition, a number of high-profile international sporting and recreational championships, tournaments, and events held on UAE. Trade events, conferences, and exhibits are all heavily concentrated in the UAE.