Dubai edition

This weekend: Fri 30 Oct to Sun 1 Nov

Where to go out in Dubai.
Checked before we post.

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What's On

Art, stage, design and the odd good night out. When it opens, when it closes, and when it needs booking.

Places
5
Guides
2
Last checked
25 Oct

All 5 places, with the facts

Tap a name for the full entry, the booking link and the map.

Photo: @dubaidesignweek

Design, 3 to 8 November

Dubai Design Week and Downtown Design

The 12th edition fills Dubai Design District with installations, talks and workshops. Downtown Design, the fair, holds invite-only previews on 4 November and is open to all visitors from 5 to 8 November.

When
Festival Tue 3 to Sun 8 Nov. Fair open to all 5–8 Nov, 12–8pm, Sunday to 6pm
Price
Festival: open entry. Fair: AED 80 for one day, AED 150 for four
Book
Fair tickets on downtowndesign.com. Valet across d3. Parking: two hours included, then AED 20 an hour

dubaidesignweek.ae

Photo: Lxs / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped

Jumeirah 1, where the UAE was signed

Etihad Museum

Built beside Union House, where the UAE was founded in December 1971. Observers of Change traces five decades of Emirati art.

When
Daily 10am–8pm. The art show runs to 10 Dec
Price
AED 25, students AED 10
Book
Taxi or drive

Photo: @jameelartscentre

Contemporary art in Jaddaf

Jameel Arts Centre

An independent contemporary art museum on the Creek, with a sculpture park and a library. A Salah Elmur survey opens Sun 1 Nov.

When
10am–8pm, Fri from 12pm, closed Tue
Price
Open access: register at the desk
Book
12-minute walk from Al Jaddaf Metro (Green Line)

jameelartscentre.org

Photo: @alserkalavenue

The gallery district in Al Quoz

Alserkal Avenue

Warehouses turned into 17 contemporary galleries, studios, a cinema and Subko. This weekend it hosts What The Food.

When
Daily 10am–7pm. Galleries set their own hours
Price
Walk in. Some events are ticketed
Book
Taxi or drive. Plan a route with the Art Guide on alserkal.online

alserkal.online

The agenda

Everything we’ve covered that hasn’t closed yet, in date order.

  1. 29Oct

    On now, until Sat 31 Oct. Book ahead

    TITIZÉ at Dubai Opera

    Dubai Opera, Downtown

    From AED 275

    dubaiopera.com Map

  2. 31Oct

    Sat 31 Oct to Sun 1 Nov. Book ahead

    What The Food takes over Alserkal

    Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1

    Walk in. Workshops need booking

    alserkal.online/what-the-food Map

  3. 1Nov

    Opens Sun 1 Nov, runs to 14 Mar

    Salah Elmur opens at the Jameel

    Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront

    Open access. Register at the desk

    jameelartscentre.org Map

  4. 3Nov

    Tue 3 Nov to Sun 8 Nov

    Dubai Design Week and Downtown Design

    Dubai Design District (d3)

    Festival: open entry. Fair: AED 80 for one day, AED 150 for four

    dubaidesignweek.ae Map

More guides in What's On

From the editor

Dubai's cultural calendar fills up from November. Dubai Design Week runs in d3 from 3 to 8 November, and the Jameel's Salah Elmur show opens on 1 November and stays until 14 March, so there's no rush for that one.

We flag the opposite too: short runs, capped rooms and non-refundable tickets. TITIZÉ at Dubai Opera plays three days, two shows a day, and every ticket is final.

For anyone new to the city, start with the four places that explain it: Al Shindagha, the Etihad Museum, the Jameel and Alserkal Avenue.

How we pick a place →

The Friday email

The weekend, decided by Friday.

It lands at 7:30am on Friday. Four plans for the weekend and one to book before it goes, each with the price and how to get in. The free guides come with the welcome email.

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