A Celebration of Art, Music, and Creativity Inspired by Emirati Culture at 13th Sikka Art & Design Festival

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is celebrating the cultural significance of saffron at the 13th Sikka Art & Design Festival, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture. Taking place in Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood, the festival features over 250 Emirati and UAE & GCC-based artists, offering a diverse range of creative experiences. Dubai Culture aims to open new horizons for emerging talent through this initiative, providing them with a platform to showcase their work to diverse audiences.

This year’s edition, a key initiative under the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy, introduces the ‘House of Saffron’ (House 416)—a dedicated space showcasing seven saffron-inspired works. Among them, Fatima Alsuwaidi’s ‘An Exploration Through Poetry and Traditions’ delves into the spice's cultural role, while ‘Saffron’s Prints’ by Mariam Bayat explores the relationship between art and nature. Omar Al Othman’s documentary ‘Saffron in UAE’ captures its importance in local heritage through interviews with a perfumer, a saffron vendor, and a poet who weaves its essence into traditional verse. 

The One Third Studio artists—Amna Bin Bishr, Duna Al Ajlan, and Dania Al Ajlan—present a tableware collection that pays homage to the richness of saffron. Roudhah Al Mazrouei’s ‘Terrain’ depicts the scenic landscape of a village in the UAE. Roudha Bu Abdulla’s ‘Saffron-Infused Emirati Dishes’ illustrates six traditional dishes incorporating the spice, while Taqwa Alnaqbi showcases ‘Preserved Saffron’.

Festival visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive tasting experiences led by nine renowned chefs: Maitha Warshaw, Arwa Lootah, Halima Bahlooq, Muna Alhashemi, Amna AlHashemi, Yanis Ait Yahoui, Kuvan Sharma, Ahmad Halawa, and Aphisith Phongsavanh. These chefs will showcase their creativity through saffron-inspired menus served daily at the ‘Supper Club,’ where the furniture, designed by Hamda Ahmed Al Falahi, and tableware are intended to reflect the warmth of the saffron flower. Guests can also enjoy a meal at any of the 51 F&B stalls, including Farmers, Midori, Aisha Khoury Burgers, Madar, Wakame, Dubai Whispers, Trio, Flat Burger, and many more.

Beyond gastronomy, Sikka offers an extensive cultural programme, including over 100 live music performances. These feature artists such as Maryam Omran Sajwani, Rashid Waleed Al Marzouqi, Hazza Abdullah Al Dhanhani, Nasser Mohammed Sbeil Fayrouz Mubarak, Kamal Musallam and Timmy Ridgeway Blues. Notable bands participating are: The One-Man Band, Nafas, The Fizz Group, Yam, and Watar.

Six orchestral performances will also take place with ensembles such as the Firdaus Orchestra under the direction of the world-renowned A.R. Rahman, alongside the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra, Dubai City Sound Ensemble, the Centre for Musical Arts Senior Wind Ensemble, the American University of Sharjah Arabic Ensemble, and the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra By ToDA. This year’s edition also features Emirati Music Night, bringing together local talents such as Khalifa Mohammed Al Jahouri, Ahmed Al Hashemi, Ameera Al Ali, Zayed Al Zaabi, Hanaa Al Hashemi, Sheikha Al Zarouni, Latifa Majid Al Shehhi, and Maryam Al Abdouli.

As a pillar event of ‘Dubai Art Season,’ Sikka sheds light on the historical significance of Dubai Creek and its role in maritime trade, which contributed to the city’s prosperity. This narrative unfolds in ‘Wind Canvas,’ by Wind Rises a project featuring three collaborative works by six artists.

Khawla Darwish and Rashid Al Mulla crafted the first sail, drawing inspiration from Dubai’s historic Fish Roundabout. Ghada Mehdi and German Fernandez created the second, depicting an imaginative journey that gathers memories from various lands. The mother and daughter duo Hessa Al Awadhi and Maryam Al Ramsi worked on the third sail, reflecting Al Shindagha’s commercial and cultural legacy through a fusion of digital and conventional art.

In another highlight, festival-goers can experience a shadow puppetry performance, ‘Creatives on Wheels,’ presented by artist and storyteller Boubaker Boukhari, visual designer Lina Younes, and film director Samer Arzouni. Inspired by Dubai Creek, the story follows an old, toothless crocodile who befriends a bird that suggests using date pits as replacement teeth. However, the only palm tree with the pits stands divided by the river, and to access them, the crocodile must allow the construction of a bridge—reconnecting two villages and restoring their shared past. Performed in Arabic by a traditional Hakawati (storyteller), the production combines shadow puppetry and live music, offering an immersive theatrical experience.

Sikka provides local and regional entrepreneurs with an opportunity to contribute to the development of the cultural and creative industries through the participation of more than 50 retail stores such as: From The Arabs, preserving cultural heritage through fragrances; Tropicfeel, an adventure-forward sustainable brand; Bask by Exposure Studio, a curated concept store for fashion and art; 222cult, a high-end abaya brand blending traditional craftsmanship with modern style; Atuyah Studios, an experimental textile and fashion brand; Creams Botanics, a wellness brand using natural ingredients from the UAE; Charms ASAP, a specialised brand for Crocs accessories; Dusk, offering sophisticated and bold abaya prints; KWKB, a celestial-inspired abaya brand; Odela & Co, the UAE’s first natural skincare brand; Reverse, specialising in exclusive hand-drawn and printed abayas; and Yello for Sustainable Abayas, the GCC’s first circular, zero-waste abaya brand. 

The ‘Ahlan W Sahlan Creative Studio’ will also present a collection of innovative designs and concepts, including Clique’s personalised pouches and instant cameras; Elain Knit’s handcrafted knitted bags made of chunky velvet yarn; Ghaf Publishing, dedicated to reviving Arab literary heritage; Khyaali Store by Mariam Al Obaidli blending Emirati culture with imagination; and The Noor Creative, which fuses traditional aesthetics with modern principles.

The festival, which runs until 9 February, is organised in partnership with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, and the Emirates Council for Rural Development.

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