Dubai Metro Music Festival kicks off across five metro stations

Commuters passing through five stations of Dubai Metro were entertained by international musicians performing as part of the third edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival, on March 6.

Organised by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the week-long celebration of global music will run until March 12.

A total of 20 local, regional and international musicians, representing a wide range of genres and styles are participating in this year’s Dubai Metro Music Festival.

The third edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival, organised by @Brand_Dubai in collaboration with @rta_dubai, kicked off today with captivating live performances by some of the most innovative musicians in the region and from across the world.https://t.co/eYJ6U7d5Wp pic.twitter.com/CaOg4KX30Z

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 6, 2023

Dubai Metro Music Festival locations

Musical performances are being held at Union, Mall of Emirates, Burjuman, Dubai Financial Centre, and Sobha Realty, with the first day featuring four performances at each of the stations.

“The first day of the Dubai Metro Music Festival attracted an overwhelming response from metro commuters.

“Participating musicians enthralled audiences with mesmerising performances featuring string, percussion, wind, acoustic and other unusual instruments, including ones made of recycled objects.

“Through celebrating diverse creative talent, the festival further strengthens Dubai’s position as an attractive hub for talent from across the world,” said Amina Taher, senior executive marketing, Brand Dubai, in a report published by the Dubai Media Office.

The Dubai Metro Music Festival forms part of the ongoing #DubaiDestinations campaign focused on highlighting the exceptional experiences, events and activities of #DubaiArtSeason.

Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of @Brand_Dubai: We are excited to launch the 3rd edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival, which brings together a mix of traditional & experimental musicians,classical instrumentalists and fusion musicians to entertain Dubai’s cosmopolitan community pic.twitter.com/mwMWSD4m3P

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 5, 2023

Dubai art and culture scene

In addition to the Dubai Metro Music Festival, the city has hosted other key art and cultural events in February and March.

The 11th edition of the Sikka Art and Design Festival was held at the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood under the theme ‘New Creativity. Same Path’. The 10-day programme concluded on March 5.

The festival offered visitors creative experiences and an opportunity to explore the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Featuring diverse forms of art, the event enabled visitors to immerse themselves in the rich cultural environment of the neighbourhood.

More than 188 creators from across the UAE and the Gulf region participated in this year’s edition with artistic works inspired by the festival’s slogan.

The festival showcased installations, murals, creative exhibitions and events, and features various activities that offer a window into Dubai’s rich and vibrant art scene.

. @Brand_Dubai: Wrapping Sikka Art & Design Festival X #ProudlyFromDubai in Brand Dubai way.#DubaiDestinations – #DubaiArtSeason pic.twitter.com/XElFOaBArH

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 5, 2023

The 16th edition of Art Dubai, a global platform for art and artists from the Middle East and the Global South, was also recently held at Madinat Jumeirah from March 1-5.

The art fair is one of the main events of the Dubai Art Season, organised by Dubai Culture, to celebrate the emirate’s growing creative and cultural landscape.

This year, the event featured more than 130 contemporary, modern and digital gallery presentations curated from six continents.

Art Dubai also featured galleries from more than 40 countries across four main sections: Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba (meaning gateway in Arabic), and Art Dubai Digital, which included 24 Dubai-based galleries, the largest number to date.

The 2023 programme included artwork premières and a series of 10 newly commissioned performance works by artists from across South Asia.

Produced in partnership with Art Dubai’s galleries and several leading South Asian cultural organisations, these new site-specific works comprised daily performances and food-based experiences, exploring themes of community, celebration, hope and connection, the state news agency WAM reported.

Read: Interview with Benedetta Ghione, executive director, Art Dubai  

The event’s executive director said: “Art Dubai has always tried to reframe what an art fair can be, and this year’s expanded programme fully reflected our role as a meeting point for the region’s creative industries, both commercial and not-for-profit.”