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UAE: Starting the year on an arty note with these must-visit events

Save the dates, for 2023 will showcase it all

Hello, sustainable fashion

Junk Kouture, the platform for youth creative expression that offers a fashion design competition combining teenage creativity with environmental sustainability is set to host its first ever world final. Sixty talented young design teams from across the world have qualified through the regional competitions. At the event, three expert judges — Fabio Piras (Head of Fashion, Central St Martins, London) Lise Pierron (French fashion model and influencer) and Mehreen Baig (UK Broadcaster & Author) — will choose six regional winners from the UK, US, Ireland, France, Italy and the UAE. The overall World Sustainable Designer of the Year will then be crowned from one of those six. Etihad Airways, the official airline partner and global partner of Junk Kouture, will sponsor those awards. Materials used by contestants for this year’s designs include items as diverse as a trampoline, plastic sanitary wrappers, a mannequin bust, ATM receipts and actual living moss.

On January 11, Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

A musical extravaganza

The 20th edition of Abu Dhabi Festival under the theme ‘The Will for Evolution’ will be hosting a series of musical events, starting on March 1 with Juan Diego Flórez and Friends by celebrated Peruvian operatic tenor, Juan Diego Flórez, who is acclaimed for his command of the high tenor range. On March 10, they will host the Middle East premiere of De Scheherezade a Yo, Carmen. The event will continue throughout the month, with performances by two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Gregory From West to East: A Classical Odyssey, the Middle East premiere of “Buddha Passion” by Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Tan Dun, and more. Overall, the edition will feature a line-up of events, including exclusive commissioning and co-productions, along with local, regional, and global premieres, in addition to a series of world-class events that include musical tours, panel discussions, and workshops.

In March, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

An edition of partnerships

Art Dubai has announced details of the programme and partnerships for its 16th edition. The expanded 2023 programme will feature an ambitious and multi-strand conference, talks and education programme, reinforcing Dubai’s emergence as a hub for the arts and culture and a significant contributor to global conversations about contemporary art. Art Dubai’s expanded 2023 programme, developed in collaboration with local and international cultural partners, reaffirms the premier art fair’s role as the meeting point for the Global South’s creative industries and communities. Highlights of the 2023 programme include site-specific commissions and premieres by renowned international artists, presented in partnership with the region’s leading institutions.

March 3-5, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai

purva@khaleejtimes.com