Pushing boundaries: Sharjah’s arts and culture scene

By Jane Witherspoon

Sharjah is the third most populated city in the United Arab Emirates and often referred to as the culture capital of the Arab World, having been officially awarded this status in 1998 by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In addition, the city has also been honoured with Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2014 by the Ministers of Culture by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), and the World Book Capital title in 2019 by (UNESCO).

The rich heritage of the city and cultural achievements have boosted Sharjah regionally and internationally and helped it maintain this status.

From establishing the UAE’s first school in the 1920s to offering the global publishing industry a first-of-a-kind commercial zone in the region dedicated to supporting publishing and creative businesses, Sharjah’s cultural leadership has been transformative.

“Various cultural institutions in Sharjah have contributed to cultural enlightenment, ardently investing in and supporting numerous high-profile cultural events that not only provide a forum for emerging talent, but also foster creativity, critical discourse, and generate fresh insights into the global cultural scene,” says Aisha Rashid Deemas, Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA).

SMA is a cultural beacon established in 2006 to oversee 16 museums across the emirate including those dedicated to archaeology, calligraphy and heritage, which you can access by wandering through the heritage zone admiring the local architecture, including the traditional stone wind tower as you go.

Sharjah Archaeology Museum was the first museum to open in Sharjah and tells a significant part of the emirate’s history highlighting the