Ben East

Wael Shawky's Dictums: Manqia I, premièring at London’s Lisson Gallery at the end of January, was shot on location near Abu Dhabi.

When the India Art Fair opens in New Delhi on January 30, it won’t only be Indian artists and galleries hoping for big sales. The Middle East is also perfectly placed to prosper

The Egyptian pianist and composer Omar Khairat plays in Dubai tonight for his third visit. He tells us why the UAE feels like the perfect place to play his cross-cultural music.

Ahlem Mosteghanemi has sold more than a million copies of her trilogy set in 20th-century Algeria. As a major publisher finally releases the first in the series, ThBridges of Constantine, she tells us why she’s more interested in writing than fame.

From Kimye to e-cigarettes, Ben East rounds up the weird and wonderful pop-culture moments of 2013.

Fatima Bhutto, the author of the new novel The Shadow of the Crescent Moon, says fiction is the best way for her to engage with the country synonymous with her family.

A British Council initiative has given 10 artists, whose work investigates the Arabian peninsula, the chance to exhibit in London. We find out whether Out of Arabia reflects a real depth in the region's artistic talent.

A couple based in Vancouver are bringing the oud to a whole new audience. Mao Murakami and Navid Goldrick explain how a trip to Turkey changed their lives for good.

Claire Messud’s new book explores a woman awakened, changed and seemingly betrayed by a Lebanese family. She explains why anger can be an energy.

An Emirati was among eight writers chosen to participate in the International Prize for Arabic Fiction's annual nadwa, designed to mentor new storytellers.

The judges for the 2015 Man Booker International Prize meet for the first time this month, and there’s an intriguing Arab flavour to the panel.

Next year, London-based charity Magic of Persia celebrates its 10th anniversary of supporting Persian artists. We catch up with its founder Shirley Elghanian and find out why the UAE has been crucial to its success.

Now in its third year, the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award is accepting entries for its 2013-14 competition. As an exhibition of this year’s winners opened in London recently, we caught up with the people behind the richest photography award in the world.

We talk to the highest-selling contemporary Arab artist, who is also a colonel in the Saudi army, ahead of his first major international show.