Quoz Arts Fest to return in January with art, music and culinary delights

Quoz Arts Fest by Alserkal is set to return in January with live performances, public art installations, film screenings, workshops, pop-ups and more.

The popular two-day event will run on January 25 and 26, with highlights including an immersive light and sound installation called Forest Dance and the Path to Pure Creation by Australia’s Eness, which will be hosted at Concrete and aims to celebrate creative freedom.

Headlining this year will be Syrian rapper, poet and storyteller Omar Offendum and Tunisian singer and songwriter Emel Mathlouthi. They’ll be joined by Tunisian alternative duo Yuma, composed of Sabrine Jenhani and Ramy Zoghlami, and Musaafir Music, a collective of rising Pakistani artists who perform in different languages.

“Since its inception in 2012, Quoz Arts Fest has been a creative meeting ground for Dubai’s diverse communities – a place to come together and celebrate culture," says Gilda Gilantash, director of events, programming and partnerships at Alserkal Avenue.

"Over the years, it’s grown into a major regional attraction while staying deeply connected to the grassroots, homegrown scene. It’s also become a platform for international artists redefining what’s next, offering a glimpse into the next wave of creative talent. This year, we’re proud to offer our most expansive programme yet, with cultural expression at its widest and the community at its heart.”

Other public art includes Bright Memories by Abdulla Alneyadi, which uses a series of public water dispensers and a surprise site-specific outdoor installation by Brazilian artist Ze Tepedino.

Emirati artist Lamya Gargash will showcase A Corridor of Books, a work inspired by the private library of a renowned UAE art collector and patron. Central to the photograph is a golden fabric, elegantly draped through the library, guided by the Qibla (a compass pointing toward prayer).

Syrian-American rapper Omar Offendum. Photo: Al Quoz Fest

Other performances will include a collaboration between London-based Indian musician Sarathy Korwar and poet and writer Zia Ahmed in a unique fusion of spoken word poetry and contemporary music.

Art enthusiasts will find plenty to explore in the festival's gallery exhibitions, with the event returning with Shilpa Gupta’s Lines of Flight at Ishara Art Foundation, a solo show by Farhad Ahrarnia at Lawrie Shabibi, and Neither Here, not Elsewhere, a group show curated by Sanaz Askari at The Third Line.

Green Art Gallery will showcase Citadelles of Today by Chaouki Choukini, while Aisha Alabbar Gallery will host Superficial Transactions, a solo exhibition by Eman Al Hashemi. Gulf Photo Plus will present The Life of an Itinerant through a Pinhole by Behzad Khosravi Noori.

Additionally, 1x1 Art Gallery will host a solo show by Sohan Qadri while Custot Gallery will show Photosynthetic Forms by Marc Quinn, and Zawyeh Gallery will highlight a solo exhibition by Amirhossein Bayani.

The Reel Palestine Film Festival will also return to Cinema Akil. The event celebrates Palestinian stories with screenings and a souq featuring crafts and flavours inspired by Palestine.

There will also be a Kids’ Lane that offers interactive art workshops, reading sessions and community activations throughout Aleskal Avenue.

Throughout the weekend, Stage 2.0 will host Quoz Encore performances, offering a platform for emerging artists and debuting talent in the UAE. The stage will also feature Afikra conversations with participating artists.

January 25 and 26; Dh63 for one-day ticket, Dh126 for weekend pass; those under 18 and over 60 can go for free

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Where to buy art books in the UAE

There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.

In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.

In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.

In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.

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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

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What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.