Sharjah Department of Culture’s annual programme of fests and forums revealed
- Last updated: September 2, 2026 | 09:39
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
The Sharjah Department of Culture has announced its annual programme of permanent festivals and forums, running from September 2026 through August 2027. The schedule features more than 40 festivals and forums organised by the Department at the local, Arab and international levels. Abdallah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture, said that “the organisation of more than 40 festivals and forums at the local, Arab and international levels reflects the vital and sustainable role that Sharjah plays in enriching the cultural, intellectual and creative landscape.
“This embodies the approach established by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in reinforcing the role of culture as a source of continuous contribution and supporting creativity and creative talents.” A range of awards presented by the Department of Culture across various literary and creative fields, will contribute to encouraging emerging talents and advancing creative practices. Cultural figures who have left a significant mark on the cultural landscape, will also be honoured.
The Department of Culture’s first event will be the Sharjah Narrative Forum on September 8, with Jordan serving as a new Arab destination for its 22nd edition. It will bring together Jordanian and Arab participants to discuss various issues related to the short story, particularly since the new edition is held under the theme The Short Story: From the Imagination of Writing to Reception. This will be followed by the 13th Kalba Short Play Festival. October will see the launch of the 12th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, held under the theme Balance. It will be followed by the eighth Marrakech Festival for Moroccan Poetry and the launch of the eighth Kalba Cultural Festival.
Meanwhile, the Al Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival will celebrate the launch of its 11th edition in Jordan. November features the sixth Khorfakkan Cultural Festival and the launch of the 11th Luxor Arabic Poetry Festival in Egypt. December begins with the 17th Sharjah Award for Artistic Criticism, followed by the 10th Sharjah Desert Theatre Festival. The House of Poetry in Sharjah will also celebrate World Arabic Language Day, while poetry audiences in Tunisia will have a date with the 11th Kairouan Arabic Poetry Festival. The December programme will conclude with the 14th Sharjah Scout Theatre.
The 2027 programme will begin with the 23rd Sharjah Arabic Poetry Forum and the 12th Khorfakkan Theatrical Festival. January will conclude with the 21st Sharjah Folklore Poetry Festival. Cultural events will continue in February with the 12th Nouakchott Arabic Poetry Festival in Mauritania. March will begin with World Poetry Day at the House of Poetry in Sharjah, celebrating poetry and its creators, alongside the 36th Sharjah Theatre Days. The month’s programme will also honour the authors of the Department of Culture’s 2026 publications, the 10th Wadi Al Helo Folk Shalla Days, and the 29th Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum in Tunisia.
In April, Sharjah will celebrate the winners of the 30th Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity at the Cultural Palace in Sharjah. Events will continue with the Presentation Art Workshop at the House of Poetry in Sharjah and the 30th Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum in Egypt. The same month will also feature the 14th Sharjah School Theatre Festival (preliminary stage) and the sixth Dibba Al-Hisn Cultural Festival. May will feature four events: the eighth Tetouan Moroccan Poets Festival, an exhibition showcasing the outcomes of courses organised by the Sharjah Calligraphy Centre, the 12th Dibba Al-Hisn Bilateral Theatre Festival, and the 14th Sharjah School Theatre Festival (final stage).
In June, the 31st Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum will be held in Jordan, while the 22nd Sharjah-UNESCO Prize for Arab Culture will take place in Paris. In July, Mauritania will host the 32nd Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum, alongside the 14th Theatre Presentation Elements Course. The same month will also see the launch of the sixth edition of the Arabic Poetry Forums in Africa, including the Arabic Poetry Forum in Chad, Arabic Poetry Forum in Mali, Arabic Poetry Forum in Benin, and Arabic Poetry Forum in South Sudan.
The forums will continue their tour in August with the Arabic Poetry Forum in Ivory Coast, Arabic Poetry Forum in Senegal, Arabic Poetry Forum in Niger, Arabic Poetry Forum in Nigeria, and Arabic Poetry Forum in Guinea. Poetry evenings and seminars at the House of Poetry will be organised, as well as activities at the Al Heera Literary Council, Al Dhaid Literary Council, Khorfakkan Literary Council and Kalba Literary Council. Art workshops will continue at the Arabic Calligraphy Centre in Calligraphy Square, alongside the Katateeb programme.
The Department continues to publish new issues of its cultural magazines. Al-Rafid magazine documents the cultural landscape in Sharjah, while Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Wousta magazines keep pace with the latest development achievements across various fields in Al Dhaid, Al Bataeh, Mleiha and Al Madam, as well as Khorfakkan, Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn. Al-Heera Min Al-Shariqa magazine highlights Nabati poetry and topics related to this literary genre. Al-Shariqa Al-Thaqafiya features a wide range of cultural topics, highlighting Arabic literature.
The Department also publishes Al-Masrah magazine, which focuses on theatrical studies and texts, book reviews and coverage of theatre festivals. Al-Qawafi magazine highlights Arabic poetry through studies, interviews and critical analysis. It also welcomes poems by poets from across the Arab world, making it a much anticipated publication among lovers of the Diwan of the Arabs.