The event brings together local and international artists.
If you’re looking for a dose of culture, head to the Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival. Now in its 14th edition, it runs from 16 January to 8 February 2026 at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village.
This year’s theme traces how ancestral voices and contemporary innovation shape creative expression across the UAE and beyond. Delivered as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Art initiative under the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, the festival forms part of a wider, year-round programme that supports local creative talent through grants, masterclasses, and workshops.
Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival was founded in 2013 with 30 emerging artists from the Emirate. Today, it has grown into an annual event that brings together creatives and cultural experiences.
Look out for different themed events across the weekend. From 23 to 25 January, there is a Family and Pets weekend and from 6 to 8 February, there is a cultural weekend.
The Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival is putting food at the centre of the conversation with The Hidden Table, a dining concept that brings together gastronomy and art through intimate, cross-cultural collaborations. Set inside the historic surroundings of Al Jazeera Al Hamra, each evening is designed as a story-led feast, pairing a sense of place with world-class creativity. From the fire-led theatre of Portugal’s Chama (17 to 25 January), to the Riviera-inspired charm of Bungalo34, and the ingredient-driven craft of Michelin-starred Restaurant Pine (6 and 7 February), The Hidden Table promises a series of one-off dinners. Seating is limited, so early reservations are strongly recommended.
Workshops are available and cover arts, culture and crafts, including art, heritage, and food tours. Film screenings are also taking place indoors and outdoors. Plus, there will be performances from Multi-Grammy–nominated producer and composer Roger Ryan, Qatari-British guitarist Khalifa Thani, Cuban vocalist Ivonne, soul singer Mazen, Italian DJ and producer Renzo, and Zarooni Sound Society.
Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival also features a variety of speakers. Talks include Rhythm and Remembrance: The Power of Musical Memory and Pages of the Past: Literature as a Memory Archive. Speakers include Emirati poet Amal Al Sahlawi, arts journalist Anna Seaman, and professor Deepak Unnikrishnan.
The Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival is expanding its cultural programme with the launch of the Ras Al Khaimah Contemporary Art Biennale, which debuts this year. Built around the theme Civilizations, the Biennale frames societies as living, evolving systems shaped by identity, memory, spirituality and imagination. Visitors can explore the exhibition through three focused chapters: The Spirit Within (spirituality), Under the Same Sky (craft, AI, and heritage), and Vision from the Source (women), each offering a distinct lens on the stories we inherit and the futures we build.
Highlights include Sutee Kunavichayanont’s meditative video installation and Stefano Cagol’s performance work filmed beneath the midnight sun, both of which delve into the metaphysical. In photography, Hicham Benohoud and Marie Hudelot bring fresh perspectives to the human body and symbolic heritage, while a powerful group of works reframe tradition as resistance and remembrance. Expect to see Hannan Abu-Hussein’s dowry blanket tower, Sophie Abu Shakra’s fusion of embroidery and code, and pieces addressing gender equality by Samaneh Roghani and Kawita Vatanajyankur.
Elsewhere, the Biennale threads ancestral voices with contemporary experimentation, from Romain Thiery’s images of abandoned pianos to Rotem Tamir’s tactile textiles. Looking forward, Francesca Fini’s AI-generated Posh on Mars leans into speculative storytelling, imagining tomorrow through the lens of emerging technology.
The Ras Al Khaimah Art 2026 Festival aims to create a platform for dialogue between artists, authors, creatives, and the community.
Tickets are on sale now.
GO: Visit www.rakart.ae for more information.