Quoz Arts Fest 2024: Everything to see, do and eat at the weekend festival this year

Written by:
Manaal Fatimah
17th January 2024

Consider this a comprehensive guide…

One of the most highly anticipated homegrown arts and culture festivals of the year, the Quoz Arts Fest is back next weekend with a line-up of performances, activities and activations to end all line-ups. We don’t make that statement lightly, because the complete programme chalks up to 200 cultural activations and live music performances over the course of the weekend. Now that is a number to impress.

Visitors of all ages are welcome at all hours of the day, with something to entertain everyone. Diverse and dynamic activities will keep you and your entire family engaged, even your furry friends, because the festival is pet friendly. Expect incredible food, design, music, workshops, a lot of surprises and all- around good vibes. More information on tickets and the festival here.

The line-up

Art installations

Echoes of Nature by London-based Japanese artist Yuri Suzuki at Concrete – The interactive, ambient sound installation mimics nature, connecting people and the environment, via an eclectic arrangement of pipes and horns. To deepen this connection, visitors are even encouraged to take home elements of the work.
Collection of Moments produced by French-Tunisian graffiti artist eL Seed.
The Disappearing Art Show by Gulf Photo Plus – highlighting works by emerging artists, collectives, and galleries while engendering sustainable collecting practices.
Every Color is a Shade of Black by Hamra Abbas and curated by Lawrie Shabibi – exploring colour in the context of social concepts such as identity, faith, and more.
Red Flags by Anahita Razmi and courtesy of CARBON 12 – series of banners and flags in eye-catching variations of coloured gradients across multiple sites, prompting curiosity amongst visitors.
A Forgotten Place by Muhannad Shono – inspired by indigenous plants largely ignored yet persistently thriving around Al Quoz and the Avenue, utilises AC water condensate to irrigate a garden of feral grasses, flowers, bushes and trees.

Dance and music

Palestinian-Jordanian rapper The Synaptik Palestinian-Jordanian rapper is known for his popular wave of Arabic rap and trap. He explores issues such as migration and social inequality and has iconic collaborations with hip-hop heavyweights.
Moroccan-French singer Amina will be performing intimate folk and pop-infused tunes.
Quoz Encore will showcase the most promising homegrown emerging musicians of all ages, genres, and languages.
Basma Choir will host a mesmerising celebration of Arabic music and heritage.
Sima Dance Company will put on visually stunning performance in Concrete.
UAE-based Stick No Bills will keep the party going later in the night with remixed South Asian DJ sets and custom visuals.
Sudanese fusion artists MarSimba will mix Sudanese lingo and African beats.
Millennial artist Usha Jey will present a hybrid dance showcase of hip-hop and Bharatanatyam.
Big Hass, no stranger to charming audiences on his popular radio show, will be helming the evening’s live entertainment as resident MC and DJ.

Experiences

For the fitness fiends, you can kick off your weekend with an yoga session hosted by Shimis in the Yard, and a outdoor ride by CRANK.
Gardens of Gaia by The Confidence Lab promises a colourful, creative experience for children and families, featuring trusted home-grown brands in creative education, performance arts, tabletop gaming, health and fitness, and high-quality culinary options across a series of zones on Lane 4 at Alserkal Avenue.
thejamjar will host engaging artistic workshops.
Original Mix DJs’ pop-up school will give kids the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Festival favourites Reel Palestine Souk and KAVE’s Market of Misfits provide for all-day browsing of wares at the curated markets.
Reel Palestine and Cinema Akil also present outdoor film screenings of Slingshot Hip Hop.

Dining and retail

Some of UAE’s most popular independent dining concepts will be available throughout the festival to tantalise your taste buds. Mattar’s handcrafted smoked meats, Kooya’s unique take on classic Filipino dishes, Pinch’s Paella, Monno’s hearty Italian pizzas, and Tacos Los Hermanos’ authentic Mexican culinary offerings will all be available to sample in addition to the Avenue’s culinary residents.

On the retail side, Lady Mauve’s unique and edgy jewellery pieces, Scarfy’s wearable art made of recycled plastic bottles, Caped Coast’s versatile African print capes, kaftans & kimonos, My Backyard Chronicles’ timeless toys, Fix Chocolatier’s quirky chocolate bars, and El Botik’s trendy clothes in collaboration with artists and brands from around the world – you can garb all that and much more.