Art Season is in full swing in Dubai. The marquee event at Madinat – Art Dubai – has been hailed as a huge success, while Art Night in DIFC once again pulled in unprecedented crowds, alongside Sikka Art Fair, celebrating various established Emirati and UAE-based artists, a bigger and better Comic Con coming in April, and a special one-off Art Wars exhibition.

Meanwhile, the Dubai Street Festival has been moved and rebranded to create DubFest, the Middle East’s largest international street theatre and comedy fair at The Al Ghurair Centre in Deira, running until March 29.

The free family-friendly event will see performances from a Cirque Du Soleil-inspired breakdancing crew from the USA, a special performance from the elected head of the Covent Garden Street Performers Association, an escapologist, a rubber-faced clown with a bouncing brain, a one-man equivalent of ‘Wallace and Gromit’, a rubberband powered human jukebox, a group of levitating Italians, and a freestyle street painter from Japan.

In total, 30 international acts from over 12 different countries will take part in over 300 shows, running 4pm to 11pm on weekdays and 2 pm to 11 pm on weekends.

The festival is the latest support for art, music and culture in the region  from Dubai’s oldest shopping mall, following on from the StreetCon urban art fest and the Battle of the Bands music competition, since their expansion last year.

Also, a team of experts from The Public Art Initiative are accepting submissions ahead of picking ten sculptures (May 7) to be installed in the Al Ghurair Centre. 

Al Ghurair Centre, Al Rigga Road, Deira, until March 29, daily 4pm to 11pm, 2 pm to 11 pm on weekends, free. Metro: Union Station. alghuraircentre.com