Dubai Culture begins countdown for Sikka Art and Design Festival 2022

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

As the countdown begins for the launch of the tenth edition of Sikka Art and Design Festival (Mar. 15 – 24), Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced its preparedness to provide an integrated and fun experience to the event. The festival will be held under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson, Dubai Culture. During the Fest, in addition to visiting Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and exploring many of its historical attractions, guests can enjoy exhibitions and innovative art installations, along with a selection of evening activities across the alleyways of Al Fahidi, with live performances.

Visitors will also be invited to participate in workshops and discussions and enjoy a dining experience offered by home-grown food concepts within the neighbourhood. This year, the Sikka presents a number of special projects, including Sikka House, Khaleeji House, Biennale.IO, a number of distinctive art installations, murals, and new media workshops. Dubai Culture will facilitate public access to the Fest in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai, making it accessible for everyone.

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Visitors will be able to reach Sikka by taking public transport buses via Al Fahidi Bus Station, and through metro stations via Al Fahidi Metro Station. Also, celebrating women artists of the region, Dubai Culture, in collaboration with MIA Art Collection, has announced the launch of the .serendipity exhibition at Al Safa Art and Design Library.

The exhibition was inaugurated March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day. It is open to the public till March 31. The show is part of Dubai Culture’s efforts to position Dubai as a coveted destination of choice by arts and culture enthusiasts, a beacon of cultural diversity for international talent, and the epicentre for creativity and cultural dialogue.

Patronising the government’s mandate to develop a knowledge-based society and promote a cultural and creative environment, the exhibition aligns with the vision of the Authority and its long-term plans.

A composition on view at .serendipity exhibition.

The .serendipity exhibition is a journey across more than 30 works of art of over 10 countries in the Middle East region, each work selected for its value and thematic relationship to reflect the viewpoint of MIA Art Collection of respect and admiration for women artists, their work and their trajectory.

The exhibition is in line with Dubai Culture’s aim to support and showcase the creative professionals from around the world. The Authority continues to play its role as an enabler and tributary for creative community members in Dubai by supporting talents in various fields of arts and culture and facilitating opportunities for their growth, to support the growth of the creative economy in the emirate. It is also in line with the Authority’s vision of strengthening Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

As part of its sectoral priorities, the Authority works towards supporting and attracting creative individuals from around the world across the arts and culture sector.

The exhibition has been created to connect with and rejoice in the 50th Anniversary of the UAE, celebrating the integration of world cultures through art. On March 10 at the MIA Art Collection Gala Dinner & Awards, in collaboration with Bulgari, ten personalities received the MIA Award as a recognition for their distinguished effort in supporting women’s visibility in the world of art. MIA Art Collection is a private and not-for-profit art collection founded by philanthropist Alejandra Castro Rioseco that unites, visualises and supports the role of women artists and their works, reaching across borders to over 33 countries and 800 works of art.

The philanthropic nature of the collection is recognised in the art world in its work for over a decade. MIA Art Collection embodies the founder’s conviction that art and education are key building blocks in the growth and development of a society. Rioseco has been dedicated to philanthropy for over a decade now, engaging with gender empowerment and rights, education and arts and technology. In 2020, she founded the MIAnywhere Virtual Museum - a technological platform for promoting women artists, allowing visitors to walk through a virtual museum space.

The platform includes her personal art collection of the works exclusively of contemporary women artists. Rioseco serves as the first South American woman on the Board of the worldwide International Chopin Society Federation headquartered in Warsaw, Poland.

Her love for the arts guided her to work with the Board of the El Museo del Barrio in NYC from 2015-2019 and the Latin America art acquisition Committee for the NYC based Guggenheim Museum. Since 2020, she is involved in the Middle East Guggenheim art acquisition committee. She is founder of the project “Exiled for the Arts, NYC” and serves on the Board of the prestigious international Jose Limon ballet, which has a mission to educate children and youngsters through dance. Previously, she founded the Mujer Opina (Woman’s Opinion) Foundation in Chile to promote and educate on women development and empowerment, emphasising the importance of first nation and indigenous traditions and language through the Las Ultimas Mujeres or “Last of the Women” project, to safeguard aspects of the Mapuche culture in Chile. She spends her time between Dubai, UAE, New York and Europe.