5 top things to do at Quoz Arts Fest by Alserkal

There’s so much to tick off…

Quoz Arts Fest by Alserkal is making a comeback for its ninth edition this month on January 29 and 30 at Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz.

This edition will be held under the theme ‘Waking Dreams’. Waking dream is a transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. No, you won’t be able to nap at this fun cultural festival as there will be plenty to see and do.

All visitors are requested to register in advance for the event and need to be full vaccinated or show a negative 48-hour PCR test result.

Here are our top five things you don’t want to miss. 

Visit some Instagrammable art

You can’t visit Quoz Arts fest without soaking in some art, and there will be plenty of it to see.

Above: Gaia at-University of Bristol, UK (2019)

A jaw-dropping work of art you don’t want to miss is Gaia – an art installation by artist Luke Jerram showing planet earth as seen by astronauts. It will be on view at Concrete. Entry to see this huge Instagrammable art installation is free but you need to show your festival registration ticket.

Outdoor movie marathon with Cinema Akil

Watch a film (or two or three) under the stars on January 29 at this all-night outdoor movie marathon in The Yard.

Arthouse cinema, Cinema Akil will be screening Rocky Horror Picture Show where attendees are encouraged to dress up – now that sounds like fun! It is screened at 1.30am.

Other movies screened include Fantasia at 11pm, Sayat Nova (The Color of Pomegranates) at 3.30am and Spellbound at 5am.

Live performances

If you prefer live performances, there are plenty to entertain you at the festival.

For music and dance lovers, there will be performances by local favourites Satwa300, an outdoor freestyle dance performance by Moncef Zebiri in collaboration with popular Sima Performing Arts, a show by the world’s youngest DJ, DJ Michelle, an Ayur dance performance by Sondos Belhassen and more.

For theatre fans, Alserkal Avenue is home to The Junction – a local theatre company will be putting on a series of short plays in Shorter and Sweeter and the theatre is bringing back ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ for the festival performed by one of the theatre’s founders, Gautum Goenka.

Food, glorious food

If you’re tuckered out from all that walking around, there will be plenty of food pitstops to help you refuel.

The Good Vibes Market food trucks has options such as Fifth Flavor, What’s On award-winning Maiz Tacos, Tindle and Inkognito Burgers (offering up plant-based premium burgers), Moreish by HK, Mattar Kitchen, Seoul street, Lana Luzaand much more.

In other words: Don’t eat before going to the festival.

Workshops

If you want to get in on the creativity, there are several artistic workshops for adults and children offered by thejamjar, Wisdom Warehouse, Warehouse421 and Ame Artistic Studio.

Find the full programme here and remember to register here.

Images: Alserkal Avenue