Located inside the historical Fahdi alleyways, Sikka Art Fair 2016 made a successful comeback this year, offering an unforgettable environment for those looking to experience art with an attention-grabbing twist.

The mixture of modern art and music, along with the traditional views and doorways of the old Fahidi ‘sikkas’, attracted students, art enthusiasts and tourists alike.

Initially we wanted to visit the heritage village and grab something to eat, but then we saw bright purple lights and heard nice music playing, so we decided to stop and take a look around,

says tourist Gabor Jenei.

The clay houses, vibrant lights and live music are all inspiring aspects of Sikka’s environment. The 11-day art fair also featured different Arabic and English musical performances and activities – creating a great social place for art lovers, families and kids to enjoy.

We had lots of activities this year, especially for kids. We had paper Mache workshops, live oil painting, pottery classes and we also displayed animation chambers for kids to enjoy,

says artist coordinator Farah Kayyali

Behind all the mesmerizing skyscrapers, city lights and noises, Sikka provided a different artistic lens for people to look at Dubai through.

The 2016 edition featured 25 art installations representing different artistic formats and selected from more than 90 initial submissions. The much-anticipated 2017 edition of the SIKKA Art Fair follows a hugely successful line-up of events for 2016, which garnered a remarkable turnout for its stimulating music, dance, plays, poetry recitals, improvisational performances and open-air cinema screenings featuring local and international talent.

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So, what’s new for the 2017 Edition?

Designed to encourage the creativity of artists across the region, the 2017 fair will feature arts and culture on the move with new events such as ‘SIKKA around the City,’ ‘SIKKA Art Van’, and ‘Al Fahidi Fridays’ that will focus on highlighting Al Fahidi Historical District as a year-round regular artistic and cultural centre.

Monthly Al Fahidi Fridays, one of the Fair’s latest theme-based events, will host courtyard animations and performances from local Al Fahidi Historical District community members.

SIKKA around the City will engage different neighbourhoods in Dubai with inspired pop-up art concepts, contributed by participating artists and galleries.

The SIKKA Art Van, a modern mobile-art space, will travel to different districts and residential areas to present exhibitions and art workshops to discerning audiences across the city.

The programme will also feature 60 workshops with more than 500 participants, in addition to a variety of 55 stage acts such as singing, theatre acts and poetry.

 

Did you attend Sikka Art Fair 2016? What was your take? Tell us in the comments below.

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