SHARJAH, 31st August, 2026 (WAM) — The Sharjah Department of Culture has announced its annual programme of permanent festivals and forums, running from September 2026 through August 2027.
Abdallah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture, said, “The organisation of more than 40 festivals and forums at the local, Arab and international levels reflects the vital and sustainable role that Sharjah plays in enriching the cultural, intellectual and creative landscape. This embodies the approach established by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in reinforcing the role of culture as a source of continuous contribution and supporting creativity and creative talents, in a way that strengthens Sharjah’s position as an active force in the Arab and international cultural landscape.”
Al Owais explained that this diverse cultural programme reaffirms Sharjah’s continued vision of embracing talents and creative projects and providing spaces and platforms that enable them to gain greater exposure and engage with diverse cultural experiences.
The Chairman of the Department of Culture added, “Through its wide range of activities, the programme provides a vibrant cultural space that enables Arab intellectuals and creatives to maintain an active presence and offers them renewed opportunities to present their experiences and works and engage with audiences through festivals, poetry evenings, seminars and theatrical performances.
“This cultural movement is further strengthened by a range of awards presented by the Department of Culture across various literary and creative fields, contributing to encouraging emerging talents and advancing creative practices. It also honours cultural figures who have left a significant mark on the cultural landscape and contributed through their work and achievements to its enrichment and development. This activity gains its true momentum from growing public attendance and remarkable engagement with the events.”
The Department of Culture’s first event will be the Sharjah Narrative Forum on 8th September, with Jordan serving as a new Arab destination for its 22nd edition. The forum will bring together a broad range of Jordanian and Arab participants to discuss various issues related to the short story, particularly as the new edition is held under the theme “The Short Story: From the Imagination of Writing to Reception.” This will be followed by the 13th Kalba Short Play Festival.
October will see the launch of the 12th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, held under the theme “Balance,” opening the door to new international experiences in Arabic calligraphy. This will be followed by the eighth Marrakech Festival for Moroccan Poetry and the launch of the eighth Kalba Cultural Festival. Meanwhile, the Al Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival will celebrate the launch of its 11th edition in Jordan. November will feature the sixth Khorfakkan Cultural Festival and the launch of the 11th Luxor Arabic Poetry Festival in Egypt.
December will feature a wide range of events, beginning with the 17th Sharjah Award for Artistic Criticism, followed by the 10th Sharjah Desert Theatre Festival. The House of Poetry in Sharjah will also celebrate World Arabic Language Day, while poetry audiences in Tunisia will have a date with the 11th Kairouan Arabic Poetry Festival. December’s programme will conclude with the 14th Sharjah Scout Theatre.
The 2027 programme will begin with the 23rd Sharjah Arabic Poetry Forum and the 12th Khorfakkan Theatrical Festival. January will conclude with the 21st Sharjah Folklore Poetry Festival.
Cultural events will continue in February with the 12th Nouakchott Arabic Poetry Festival in Mauritania.
March will begin with World Poetry Day at the House of Poetry in Sharjah, celebrating poetry and its creators, alongside the 36th Sharjah Theatre Days. The month’s programme will also include honouring the authors of the Department of Culture’s 2026 publications, the 10th Wadi Al Helo Folk Shalla Days, and the 29th Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum in Tunisia.
In April, Sharjah will celebrate the winners of the 30th Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity at the Cultural Palace in Sharjah. Events will continue with the Presentation Art Workshop at the House of Poetry in Sharjah and the 30th Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum in Egypt. The same month will also feature the 14th Sharjah School Theatre Festival (preliminary stage) and the sixth Dibba Al-Hisn Cultural Festival.
May will feature four events: the eighth Tetouan Moroccan Poets Festival, an exhibition showcasing the outcomes of courses organised by the Sharjah Calligraphy Centre, the 12th Dibba Al-Hisn Bilateral Theatre Festival, and the 14th Sharjah School Theatre Festival (final stage).
In June, the 31st Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum will be held in Jordan, while the 22nd Sharjah-UNESCO Prize for Arab Culture will take place in Paris.
In July, Mauritania will host the 32nd Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum, alongside the 14th Theatre Presentation Elements Course. The same month will also see the launch of the sixth edition of the Arabic Poetry Forums in Africa, including the Arabic Poetry Forum in Chad, Arabic Poetry Forum in Mali, Arabic Poetry Forum in Benin, and Arabic Poetry Forum in South Sudan.
The forums will continue their tour in August with the Arabic Poetry Forum in Ivory Coast, Arabic Poetry Forum in Senegal, Arabic Poetry Forum in Niger, Arabic Poetry Forum in Nigeria, and Arabic Poetry Forum in Guinea.
The Sharjah Department of Culture will continue its cultural programmes by organising poetry evenings and seminars at the House of Poetry, as well as activities at the Al Heera Literary Council, Al Dhaid Literary Council, Khorfakkan Literary Council and Kalba Literary Council. Art workshops will also continue at the Arabic Calligraphy Centre in Calligraphy Square, alongside the Katateeb programme.
The Department also continues to publish new issues of its cultural magazines, which address local affairs across the Emirate of Sharjah and its cities. Al-Rafid magazine continues to document the cultural landscape in Sharjah, while Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Wousta magazines keep pace with the latest development achievements across various fields in Al Dhaid, Al Bataeh, Mleiha and Al Madam, as well as Khorfakkan, Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn.
Al-Heera Min Al-Shariqa magazine continues to highlight Nabati poetry and topics related to this literary genre and its broad creative horizons.
Al-Shariqa Al-Thaqafiya features a wide range of cultural topics, highlighting Arabic literature through a series of creative works. The Department also publishes Al-Masrah magazine, which focuses on theatrical studies and texts, book reviews and coverage of theatre festivals, while shedding light on Arab theatre companies.
Al-Qawafi magazine highlights Arabic poetry through studies, interviews and critical readings. It also welcomes poems by poets from across the Arab world, making it an eagerly anticipated publication among lovers of the “Diwan of the Arabs.”
Source: Emirates News Agency