Dubai is an important destination for arts and culture lovers, with the local art scene growing to include more independent homegrown artists that celebrate a variety of cultures – creating a vibe that is unique to Dubai. Art enthusiasts can embark on a journey to explore the finest galleries and cultural events with Dubai Calendar’s website and app and purchase tickets to the latest fairs.

Dubai is set to welcome SIKKA Art Festival under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) for its 10^th edition at the heart of Old Dubai, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood from 19-29 March.  Visitors are invited to wander through old wind tower-topped houses that are transformed into mini art galleries for exhibitions, installations, musical performances, films and interactive workshops. Best of all, it is free to attend.

Film enthusiasts are invited to experience four days of special screenings showcasing work by Emirati and UAE-based filmmakers at Al Marmoom: Film In The Desert from 4-7 March. The initiative is presented by Dubai Arts and Culture Authority under the guidance of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture.

The region’s leading international art fair Art Dubai is returning for its 14^th edition from 25-28 March at Madinat Jumeirah, featuring universal artists, galleries, performances and talks. The fair will bring together 90 galleries from 38 countries, including 21 first timers from Nigeria, Sudan and Vietnam, organised into four sections: Contemporary, Modern, Residents and the newly launched Bawwaba.

World Art Dubai will take over Dubai World Trade Centre from 8-11 April giving visitors and art aficionados access to affordable art retail with more than 3,000 pieces from 150 galleries to choose from.

Jameel Arts Centre is showcasing Sarah Abu Abdallah’s exhibition For the First Time in A Long Time until 20 April, a collection of videos, paintings, text and installations inspired by tension between virtual personas and reality. The Centre is also featuring the multi-lingual exhibition Composition for a Public Park by artists and musician Hassan Khan until 8 June.

The leading international art hub, Alserkal Avenue, is hosting a variety of exhibitions including a showcase of Beijing-born artist Vivien Zhang’s work, Soft Borders until 5 March, inviting visitors to experience the recurring motif of the kilim a tapestry-woven carpet and its multifarious meanings at this display; a poetic educational exhibition Poetry School at Grey Noise until 9 March; Nothing is Certain by British-Iraqi artist Athier Mousawi, which will run until 14 March with work aimed to create visual relationship between unanswerable questions and undefined answers; conceptual paintings addressing pressing environmental challenges in Brainwashed by Nature until 15 March; and New Waves that allows visitors to explore latest edition of New national Dish from 14 March – 4 April.

Dubai Calendar is an all access portal to activities and events happening in Dubai allowing residents and tourists to explore the latest events and offerings in Dubai for free.