Held under the theme of ‘Gradate’ the festival has been organised by the Department of Culture which is showcasing nearly 284 artworks.

One of the most prestigious Islamic art events in the region, the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival opened its door for the public on December 15 at the Sharjah Art Museum.

Running in its 24th year, the Arts Festival was inaugurated by Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and declared it open.

Held under the theme of ‘Gradate’ the festival has been organised by the Department of Culture which is showcasing nearly 284 artworks. Artists from around the world have come together to put across their spectacular work at the festival which is running until January 23, 2022.

According to the Department of Culture, the theme for the year is a reference concept and a guide to formulating creative works. The keyword is almost indispensable to everything in our external and internal worlds alike. Nothing is completed without a gradual process of creation, nor is there a complete state without the complementarity and interweaving of the many elements that form its basic structure, the complete is gradually achieved through the growth of its various components.

Spanned across 40 days, the art festival will feature various exhibitions like— ‘Light and Gravity,’ ‘Attempts,’ ‘Hypersensitivity’, ‘Eternal Origins’, ‘Art, Architecture & Poetry’, ‘Gradation Description’, ‘I water my flowers every morning’, ‘HUWA’, ‘Solitude’, ‘Ebb and Flow’, ‘Nafs’, among others.

The festival is one of the iconic art events in the region since its commencement in the year 1998, under the supervision and organisation of the Directorate of Art in the Department of Culture and Information.

With an aim to exhibit various kinds of traditional and contemporary Islamic arts, the exhibition over the consecutive editions was able to display different vibrant styles of Islamic Art through a selection of art projects illustrating the authenticity of Islamic Art and its ability to keep up with current artistic changes.