Latifa Bint Mohammed opens the 13th edition of the Sikka Festival for Arts and Design

Dubai, January 31 / WAM / Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Culture and Arts Authority in Dubai, in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khaled Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture, opened today the 13th edition of the Sikka Art and Design Festival organized by Dubai Culture “in the historic Al -Shindagha neighborhood, with the aim of providing an innovative environment capable of supporting creators and pioneering and young artists from citizens and residents on the land of the state and the Gulf states, and enabling them to display their productions and contribute to enriching the artistic scene in Dubai.
The festival – the initiative that falls within the “Quality of Life in Dubai” strategy – which will continue until the next February 9, is witnessing more than 350 artistic and composition works, as this year’s version is the largest in the history of the festival in terms of the number of events, activities, workshops and artistic performances, what is Dubai’s commitment to increasing opportunities for creators and enhancing the visual scene of the emirate.
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured the festival, and met a number of Emirati, Gulf artists and residents on the state’s land. Her Highness praised the excellence of their projects, ideas, visions, and diversity of their works that embody the cultural essence of Dubai and reflect the uniqueness of its creative identity.

Her Highness was briefed on the interactive spaces of the festival to develop skills, and the innovative artwork and artistic structures and sculptures that were distributed to 19 houses in the historical neighborhood Theatrical performances, and “The Gulf House”, which hosts artists from all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and others.
Her Highness confirmed that Dubai has succeeded in achieving a prominent position on the global cultural map thanks to the inspiring visions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God bless him”, which made the emirate a home to creative energies and a center for artistic innovation, noting its highness Until the Sikka Festival for Arts and Design, through its sessions, enabled the creation of an active artistic movement on the local scene, and over time turned into a meeting station the task of gathering artists from the Emirates and the region.
Her Highness said, “The festival represents a creative incubator that brings together all components of the artistic scene, and celebrates the creativity of art pioneers in the Emirates and the region of all specialties, which highlights the size of its influence in highlighting Dubai’s cultural diversity and its role in enriching its artistic scene, as it has proven its ability to open horizons for talents and motivate them to He presented their creative ideas and their views in front of the public, enabling them to extend bridges of communication with those with distinguished Arab and international artistic competencies, and exchange experiences and visions with them, which contributed to strengthening the strength of the artistic movement in the state.
Her Highness pointed out that the importance of the “Sikka Art and Design” festival lies in the diversity of its artistic orientations, the richness of its programs and events, which enabled it to establish a sustainable artistic environment capable of stimulating the spirit of innovation among creators and encouraging them to develop their skills, and contribute to supporting cultural and creative industries, and achieving the goals of Dubai strategy For the creative economy.
The 13th festival version that was organized under the supervision of artistic values, Sheikh Maktoum bin Marwan Al Maktoum, provides a rich program with various artistic and entertainment exhibitions and events, performance performances and plastic art, where more than 40 works and artistic composition supports the strategy of “art in public places” that leads ” Dubai Culture “Activation Movement to Promote Visual Culture in Dubai.

It also includes 13 innovative murals that carry the fingerprints of a group of pioneering and young artists and reflect the aesthetics of urban art, and the festival allocates 3 houses and two arenas to develop talent skills, and a space for people of determination with the aim of motivating them to display their creations, and also displays the first water -based artistic installation, and the “wind winds” exhibition. With the participation of 6 citizens and residents of the state.
The event program, which falls under the umbrella of the “Dubai Technical Season”, includes more than 30 regional and international participation, more than 450 workshops, dialogue and discussion session, about 100 live shows, 13 theatrical shows that will be presented on 3 external theaters, and 6 orchestra shows, an increase of 200% from Last year, among them the “Paradise Orchestra” supervised by the international musician E. R. Rahman, “Satellic UAE Orchestra for Youth”, and “Dubai City Sound”, in addition to a night dedicated to Emirati music, and 9 piano offers provided by “House of Bayanuz”, in addition to an offer to tell stories using a bicycle, the first of its kind in The festival, which includes a set of qualitative initiatives, including the “Public Art – Merin” program, which focuses on architecture methods and aesthetics, as well as the effectiveness of “creators on the calf” led by the storyteller and interspersed with shadow offers on the tunes of the oud.
The festival is also witnessing the organization of a group of unique experiences offered by more than 50 food vendors, in addition to the “Saffron House”, which hosts a series of dinner clubs that will be supervised by 9 known chefs.

This year’s version includes more than 50 retail stores, an increase of 400% compared to the previous version, which contributes to expanding opportunities for local and regional creative entrepreneurs and strengthening the creative economy of the emirate.
It is noteworthy that “Dubai Culture” had received more than 1,000 requests to participate in the current festival version, an increase of about 50% compared to last year’s version, and the festival will be held in partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, Dubai Ambulance, and Civil Defense In Dubai, the Emirates Balanced Development Council.

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