Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts, heritage, and literature, has announced the list of artists for its SIKKA Art Fair 2019, which will take place from 16^th to 24^th March at Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood. To be held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, this year’s edition promises to be distinctive, bringing together an exciting line-up of 44 artists from around the world, carefully selected out of hundreds of applications that were received for the Fair.

This year, SIKKA Art Fair will host a total of 20 Emirati artists, amounting to 46% of the roster. Also artists from Arab countries, including Jordan, Palestine, and Syria, amount to 18% of the total list. Additionally, artists from India and Pakistan will amount to 20% and other parts of the world, including Europe, the United States, Australia, and South America, will account for 20% of the roster. The list of artists for this year features artists, reflecting the variety of participants that the Fair attracts every year.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General at Dubai Culture, said: “SIKKA Art Fair continues to round up year on year success, enabling us to discover more young talent from the UAE and the region every year. The Fair is a platform that aims to support and showcase works of Emirati, UAE and GCC-based artists and help them reach a wider audience.

Al Nabouda continued: “In line with the Year of Tolerance, this year’s theme ‘An Open window to Art and Tolerance’ commemorates the noble value of acceptance that was inculcated in us by late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Through its theme, the Fair urges artists to portray tolerance as an integral value prevailing in the UAE and highlight the social cohesion in the country that is home to people from over 200 countries. The objectives of the Fair are in line with Dubai Vision 2020, and they play an important part in spreading happiness and positivity in Dubai, a city that offers some rare opportunities for interaction, entertainment, and inspiration, in a friendly setting.”

Walid Ahmed, Head of the Dubai Art Season Committee, said: “We expect this year’s edition to draw a large number of audience, adding to the successes recorded throughout the previous years. The variety of artists, their nationalities, ages, and interests, will reflect positively on the quality and diversity of exhibited works. Throughout the 9-day program, artists will help transform the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood into ‘An Open window to Art and Tolerance’’. Like every year, Dubai Culture will strive to provide an ideal atmosphere, helping visitors reach the event location and enjoy the activities to the fullest.”

SIKKA Art Fair complements the initiatives being held under Dubai Art Season umbrella. The Fair is held during the Dubai Art Week along with Art Dubai, DIFC Art Nights and Galleries Night at Alserkal Avenue. The 9^th edition of SIKKA Art Fair will feature artistic manifestations of tolerance, coexistence, openness and cultural diversity that Dubai as a city epitomizes.

The Fair will sport a range of sessions, discussions and talks moderated by artists, live musical performances, research initiatives, interactive meetings, and educational activities, all of which will feature works by emerging talents based in the UAE and the GCC region.

For the first time this year, SIKKA Art Fair will offer two distinctive yet intertwined experiences. ‘SIKKA by Day’ that celebrates the Al Fahidi tenants, the neighborhood, and the art exhibitions and installations, while ‘SIKKA by Night’ will host multiple cultural activations that bring together some of the most celebrated artists to the local creative scene.

Dubai Culture will facilitate access to the SIKKA Art Fair site, underlining its commitment to involve all segments of society segments in the grand art celebration. Visitors can reach the venue by taking public buses through Al Fahidi Bus Station, the metro through Al Fahidi Metro Station, Careem, or even by abra for as little as AED 1 per trip.

Additionally, Dubai Culture has partnered with Careem to provide SIKKA’s visitors with a special 30% discount on two rides when they book a taxi using the code SIKKA2019. The code is valid from 14 to 26 March 2019 for ‘now’ and ‘later’ bookings across all car types excluding GO, UNCHR and BOX, with a maximum discount of AED 30 per ride. Valet parking is also provided at the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood on a first-come-first-serve basis.