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Sikka Art and Design Festival

Since its inception in 2011, launched by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of Dubai Culture, the SIKKA Art & Design Festival has evolved from a week-long visual arts showcase into one of the UAE’s most dynamic annual cultural platforms. It champions emerging Emirati, UAE, and GCC creative voices while engaging in dialogue with international practitioners, reflecting Dubai’s position within a wider regional and global creative landscape.

Originally held in the intimate alleyways of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and now activated across the historic streets and houses of Al Shindagha, SIKKA has expanded in both scale and scope. Its multidisciplinary programme brings together curated exhibitions, visual and performing arts, design, public art, technology, and creative programmes. Operating as both a festival and an ongoing platform, SIKKA supports cultural expression, local capacity building, and the development of the creative industries.

Rooted in local heritage yet outward-looking in its ambitions, SIKKA is shaped through thematic and curatorial frameworks that connect communities with artistic practice and support both early-career and established creatives. Today, as a signature programme within Dubai Art Season, the festival situates contemporary creative practice within a living heritage environment, inviting audiences to engage with art and design as an integral part of the city’s social and urban fabric.