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ABU DHABI/WAM
Cultural Foundation, a cultural centre under the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has announced its September–December 2026 season, featuring international performances, art exhibitions, community activities and the launch of the literary programme El Marmas.
The performing arts programme opens on 17th September with Mid-Autumn Festival: A Moonment to Remember, featuring the China National Peking Opera Company, in partnership with the Chinese Cultural Centre.
Dance of the Emerald Isle, created by former Lord of the Dance star Chris Hannon, follows on 19th and 20th September, while Barcelona Flamenco Ballet presents Flamenco Romeo and Juliet on 26th September. Both productions are presented in partnership with Art For All.
Jalsat Nights returns on 4th October with Emirati artist Muaded Al Kaabi, winner of the Najm Al Khaleej 2006 title and a member of the UAE National Orchestra. Anime Memories follows on 17th October, celebrating anime soundtracks through a live concert.
From 21st to 24th October, Cultural Foundation hosts SCHLiNGEL ABU DHABI, an international children’s and youth film festival, in partnership with the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region. On 24th October, Tenors of the XXI Century: World Hits About Love features opera arias, tangos and international classics.
Family performances include Jonathan Rockefeller’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show on 6th and 7th November, featuring more than 75 puppets, and S4K’s child-friendly musical adaptation of Macbeth on 15th November.
On 20th and 21st November, Akram Khan Company presents Thikra: Night of Remembering, created with visual artist Manal AlDowayan. The all-female ensemble blends Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance.
Enrico Macias closes the performance season on 12th December with a concert celebrating six decades of music. His concert, Anime Memories, Tenors of the XXI Century and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show are presented in partnership with Art For All.
The visual arts programme includes Zuleya 2026 – Year of the Family Exhibition Series and Auction, running from 15th October 2026 to 15th January 2027. Organised by the Fatima Bint Mohamed bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI), in partnership with Mubadala and Dolphin Energy, it explores the theme of “family unity” through artworks, talks and workshops. A charity auction will support FBMI’s health and education initiatives for disadvantaged children.
A solo exhibition by Emirati artist Shaikha Al Mazrou runs from 12th November 2026 to 15th March 2027, bringing together existing sculptures and new commissions exploring materiality, gravity and spatial tension. Shezad Dawood’s mid-career retrospective, Shezad Dawood: Skin of Dreams, remains open until 20th September 2026.
Launching this season, El Marmas will support reading, authorship and public dialogue through December. Its programme includes the monthly reading series Memory Endurance, literary discussions under Read the World, the children’s Awal Badi Book Club, informal Writers Detox gatherings and a Poetry Night marking National Day celebrations.
Cultural Foundation will also participate in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair from 13th to 18th September, offering film and literature talks and children’s activities. The Awal Badi Forum, on 14th and 15th December, will explore culture, memory and heritage through discussions, performances and public activities. Applications for the next Art Residency Programme cycle open in December.
Abu Dhabi Children’s Library will continue its multilingual reading and creative learning programmes for children aged up to 14, with its annual Winter Camp running from December through January. The Children’s Art Centre will offer classes and workshops, while Al Marsam Al Hor and Bait Al Khatt will provide courses and activities in disciplines including painting, sculpture, pottery, fashion design and Arabic calligraphy.
Admission to Cultural Foundation is free, with tickets required for specific activities. Opening hours are 09:00–20:00 from Saturday to Thursday and 14:00–20:00 on Fridays.