Inside Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival: 2026: A month of art, culture and global voices

As winter settles over the northern emirates, one of the UAE’s most atmospheric heritage sites is preparing to come alive with art, ideas and global flavours.

From January 16 to February 8, Ras Al Khaimah Art 2026 Festival returns to the lanes of Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village for a month-long festival.

Now in its 14th edition, the festival unfolds within the UAE’s last remaining intact Emirati pearling village, where coral-stone houses and wind towers form a living backdrop to exhibitions, performances and conversations from across the world. This year’s programme brings together 106 artists from 49 nationalities, transforming the historic site into a meeting point for ancestral voices and modern perspectives.

Delivered as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Art initiative under the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, the festival is more than a seasonal highlight. It sits within a year-round commitment to nurturing creative talent through grants, workshops and masterclasses, reinforcing the emirate’s growing cultural identity.

At its heart, Ras Al Khaimah Art 2026 Festival explores how civilizations evolve, connect and leave creative legacies behind. Tracing inspiration from the ancient Silk Road routes that once linked Ras Al Khaimah to the wider world, to the global cities shaping culture today, the festival examines how art continues to thrive through exchange, imagination and shared memory.

Dr. Natasha Ridge, Executive Director of Ras Al Khaimah Art, explains the vision behind this year’s expanded edition: “In line with the vision of the Ras Al Khaimah Art initiative, Ras Al Khaimah Art 2026 Festival was designed as a catalyst for dialogue and creative cultural exchange. This year’s expanded programme, alongside the launch of the Ras Al Khaimah Contemporary Art Biennale, marks an important moment in the festival’s ongoing evolution. Guided by the ‘Civilisations’ theme and taking place at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, the festival reinforces Ras Al Khaimah’s growing role as a thriving cultural hub.”

That evolution is most clearly seen in the launch of the inaugural Ras Al Khaimah Contemporary Art Biennale. Curated by Sharon Toval, the month-long exhibition anchors the festival, bringing together works that move between quiet introspection and bold provocation.

Artists such as Sutee Kunavichayanont and Stefano Cagol delve into the metaphysical, while photographers Hicham Benohoud and Marie Hudelot challenge ideas of identity and perception. Elsewhere, Hannan Abu-Hussein, Sophy Abu Shakra, Kawita Vatanajyankur and Francesca Fini reinterpret heritage, gender and technology through textiles, performance and AI-driven practices.

Beyond the gallery spaces, the festival embraces a lifestyle-led approach to culture, inviting visitors to slow down, explore and participate. Each weekend carries its own rhythm and focus, from the Opening Weekend (January 16 to 18) to a Family and Pet Friendly stretch (January 23 to 25), followed by an “Around the World” celebration (January 30 to February 1) and a reflective Cultural Weekend (February 6 to 8).

Food takes on a creative role of its own with the introduction of The Hidden Table, a rotating dining experience that blurs the line between gastronomy and art. Each week, a different restaurant brings its signature style to the heritage village. Expect flame-kissed plates from Portugal’s Chama, nostalgic Mediterranean flavours from Bungalo34, and refined seasonal dishes from Newcastle’s Michelin-starred Restaurant Pine.

For those keen to dive deeper, guided tours offer curated ways to experience the festival. Art Tours unpack the narratives behind the exhibitions, while Food Tours weave through the Old Town, revealing local culinary gems and the stories behind them. Heritage Tours, meanwhile, bring Al Jazeera Al Hamra’s pearling past to life, illuminating the architecture and traditions that shaped the village.

As day turns to evening, performances and film screenings animate courtyards and open-air spaces. Live music and movement feature Emirati vocalist AlMaydee, the genre-blending violin and electronic sounds of MadamDXB, and the subtle theatricality of James SCARR’s mime performances. These sit alongside intimate monologues on civilizations by Alana Hicks and a richly layered musical set by Grammy-nominated composer Roger Ryan. Curated indoor and outdoor film screenings extend the festival’s themes into cinema, offering yet another lens on culture and connection.

Participation remains central to the experience. Workshops and masterclasses invite visitors to step into the creative process, from traditional agriculture and Arabic calligraphy to light painting, fabric art, photography and paper quilling. More specialised masterclasses explore enamelling, plaster tile making, Moroccan zellij, embroidery and bookbinding—slow, tactile practices that encourage reflection and hands-on creation.

Set against the evocative backdrop of Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, Ras Al Khaimah Art 2026 Festival is a celebration of art as lived experience—one that moves easily between past and present, local and global. As the emirate marks a milestone with its first Contemporary Art Biennale, the festival invites visitors to reflect on shared histories and imagine what can be created together under the same sky.

When: January 16 to February 8, 2026

Where: Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, Ras Al Khaimah
What: A month-long outdoor arts festival featuring exhibitions, performances, workshops, heritage tours, film screenings and curated dining experiences
Price: Experiences are priced individually