Culture & Education | Tuesday 3 September, 2019 5:27 am |

Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Office at Dubai Culture, and as part of the seventh edition of Dubai Art Season (DAS), Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced an open call to emerging artists from the UAE and the GCC region for the tenth edition of SIKKA Art Festival (SIKKA), scheduled from 19thto 29thMarch 2020. The applications for the festival will be accepted until 31stOctober. This year, SIKKA Art Festival will be adding a variety of visual, theatrical, and musical arts as well as cinema and singing activities to its portfolio. 

Dubai Culture will now be accepting applications for all discplines of arts, artists, and talented performers, singers, and digital artists, where applications previously were limited to visual arts.

SIKKA 2020 will take place at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and will feature rich and varied programmes for all adults and kids, from different nationalities, and cultures, bringing together artists, visitors, tourists, and family members in one place, in a festive atmosphere of joy and happiness.

SIKKA, a contemporary, artist-led celebration set in the heart of Old Dubai, is one of the region’s most anticipated events that serves as a platform for young talents, offering a unique celebration of visual and performing arts, music, and film, along with home-grown food vendors, a vibrant programme of free adult and children’s workshops as well as an array of activities for the whole family in two separate parts SIKKA by Day and SIKKA by Night. 

Walid Ahmed, Project Manager of DAS and SIKKA, said: “We follow up the successes of previous sessions with a more distinctive and inspiring edition, where we allow creative people in various fields to express their passions and communicate with audiences from all over the world through their creations. This comes in celebration of their true talents and support of their presence in Dubai, which pays special attention to creative people and their talents, enhancing their competitiveness by supporting and motivating them.”

He continued: “SIKKA Art Festival succeeded in being a regional destination for creativity during DAS, especially as it attracts emerging artists, culture enthusiasts, and the arts from all over the country and the region. In line with the Eight Principles of the Emirate of Dubai, we seek to establish Dubai, through SIKKA, as a destination for creativity and creators, as well as a platform to nurture talent, strengthening the Emirate’s position as an incubator of the arts, creativity, and innovation. We are confident that the 2020 edition of SIKKA will be a great artistic breakthrough, and we will continue our journey of discovering wonderful talents, delivering the messages of love and harmony to the world.”

Dubai Culture aims to enhance Dubai’s cultural scene and draw attention to the UAE’s rich heritage. The Authority’s mandate is to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures to enhance Dubai's position as a creative and sustainable global city for culture, heritage, arts, and literature, with the aim to empower these sectors by developing creative and innovative projects and initiatives locally, regionally, and globally.