The foundation’s curatorial ethos centres on fostering experimental, interdisciplinary practices that examine historical residues, contemporary identities, and regional narratives through photography, sculpture, film, and performance. It provides dedicated platforms for artistic research and production, emphasizing free public access and community engagement across diverse geographies within the UAE and beyond.
The Sharjah Art Foundation operates as a leading contemporary arts institution headquartered at Arts Square in Al Shuwaiheen, Sharjah. It presents year-round exhibitions, the annual Sharjah Biennial, and multidisciplinary programmes spanning photography, film, music, and visual arts across multiple venues throughout the emirate. The foundation supports artistic research and production through its Studio and Residency Programmes, which are housed in repurposed heritage houses and modern art spaces. All exhibitions and events are primarily free and open to the public, complemented by guided tours, workshops, and educational initiatives.
Hours, directions, and direct contact. For programme or press enquiries, use the contact form below.
Arts Square, Al Shuwaiheen
Editorial coverage on Exhibo
A village half-buried in sand an hour from Dubai, a name that means "she of the little sickle," and what Emirati sources actually say.
The houses at Al Madam went up around 1980 and stood empty by the mid-1990s. People will tell you she lives there — not in the old stories, though. That attachment is recent, and it is the interesting part.
From a Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim on Saadiyat Island to a floating art museum on Dubai Creek, six major institutions are set to redraw the country's cultural map over the coming years.
The UAE's museum and performing arts landscape is entering one of its most ambitious build-out phases yet, with six major cultural institutions — spanning Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah — currently in development. From the long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to a floating art museum on Dubai Creek, here is what is coming and when.
How Hassan Sharif and the artists known as "the Five" built conceptual art in the UAE from nothing
Before the Louvre came to Abu Dhabi and Alserkal filled with galleries, a small group of artists made conceptual art in the UAE with almost no audience and a great deal of ridicule. This is the story of Hassan Sharif and the pioneers who built a scene from nothing — and why their work still anchors Emirati art today.
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