The 10th edition of Sikka Art and Design Festival opened at the Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood in Dubai on Tuesday, March 15, and will run until March 24, 2022. Inaugurated by, and held under the patronage of, H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council, the event celebrates the diversity in art forms. The festival, which is a melting pot of visual and performing arts and films, is held annually as part of Dubai Art Season.
The 2022 edition of the event, which follows the theme of: ‘Celebrating Art, Celebrating Growth’ seeks to bolster a wide range of art forms and support up and coming talent from the region and beyond. The festival also aims to underscore Dubai's standing as an international hub for creativity.
Among the various changes this year is the visual identity of the festival inspired by a sidr tree at the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
As many as 158 artists will participate in this year’s festival, 79 out of which are Emirati. An additional 34 Arab and 45 Western artists round out the tally. There are three houses for this edition, overall featuring 58 artists from submissions and collaborations. Furthermore, there 12 outdoor installations, six murals and over 60 workshops and stage performances planned over the period. Finally, there are 10 days of cinema screenings and 17 F&B vendors at the venue.
"One of Dubai Culture’s key initiatives, the Sikka Art and Design Festival has established itself as one of the most anticipated events on the regional cultural calendar. The event offers emerging artists from the UAE and the GCC a unique platform to showcase their work. Sikka is part of our commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent in the art and culture sectors, and attracting global creatives to base themselves in Dubai. All of this contributes to the advancement of the emirate’s creative economy in line with the objectives of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, which aims to make Dubai the global capital of the creative economy by 2025," said Sheikha Latifa.
