Dubai: As the sun dips over Dubai Creek, the quiet heritage houses of Al Shindagha begin to stir — not with commerce or trade, but with colour, sound and ideas.

From 23 January to 1 February, the Sikka Art & Design Festival returns to the historic district, turning its alleyways and courtyards into open spaces for art, conversation and creative exchange.

Now in its 14th edition, Sikka has grown into one of Dubai’s most distinctive cultural events. Organised by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture, the festival reflects the city’s belief that culture is not an add-on, but part of everyday life.

This year, visitors can wander through 16 restored houses, each dedicated to a different creative field. Visual arts, photography, ceramics, design, technology, public art and urban culture sit side by side, blurring the lines between exhibition and experience. Installations, sculptures and interactive works respond to the theme “Dubai’s Visions: Narrating Our Future Identity,” inviting reflection on how the city remembers its past while imagining what comes next.

More than 450 artists and creatives are taking part, presenting nearly 250 artworks. While the festival remains rooted in local talent, its outlook is unmistakably international, with participants from the UAE, the Gulf and beyond, including the International House – Japan, which adds a layer of cross-cultural dialogue to the programme.

Sikka is not only about viewing art; it is about taking part. Across the festival period, more than 500 workshops and 30 panel discussions open the doors to learning, experimentation and exchange, offering emerging creatives a rare chance to engage directly with established artists and industry voices.

Music and performance bring a different kind of energy to the neighbourhood. On the main stage overlooking Dubai Creek, live concerts, orchestral pieces, choirs and musical parades unfold throughout the week, filling Al Shindagha with a sense of movement and shared celebration.

For Khulood Khoury, Director of the Sikka Art & Design Festival and Director of Design at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the festival’s strength lies in its ability to nurture creative voices. Over time, she says, Sikka has become a space where artists feel encouraged to experiment, express ideas freely and connect with peers from the region and the wider world.

Set against one of Dubai’s oldest districts, the festival offers a rare balance: heritage without nostalgia, and contemporary art without detachment.

At Sikka, the past does not sit quietly behind glass — it becomes part of a living, evolving cultural conversation.