Sharjah Art Foundation has announced an ambitious lineup of exhibitions, film screenings, performances and international collaborations for summer and autumn 2026 across Sharjah and global partner venues.
WEBDESK – SHARJAH NEWS
The Sharjah Art Foundation has officially revealed its summer and autumn 2026 programme, featuring major exhibitions, film events, photography showcases and international collaborations aimed at strengthening artistic dialogue between regional and global creative communities.
The season began earlier this month with Body Quotidian, a two-artist exhibition featuring London-based artist Laila Majid and Lahore-based Inaam Zafar at Al Mureijah Square. The exhibition explores materiality and everyday life through sculptures, paintings and photography, and will remain open until September 20, 2026.
One of the Foundation’s most significant new initiatives this year is the launch of SAF Radio, an online bilingual platform dedicated to music, storytelling and sound-based experiences from the region and beyond. Its inaugural programme, Aswaat, features 12 immersive hour-long episodes blending contemporary sounds with archival recordings from the Foundation’s collection.
The Foundation is also introducing the Sunday Cinema Club, running from July 5 to August 30 at the Photography Gallery in Al Manakh, Sharjah. The weekly screenings will include internationally acclaimed films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mirai and West Beirut, followed by workshops and discussions exploring cinematic themes and social narratives.
Photography enthusiasts can look forward to the 13th edition of Vantage Point, opening on August 8 at the Photography Gallery. The exhibition will present newly commissioned photographic works by six internationally selected artists, including Adam Rouhana, Guanyu Xu and Luisa Dörr.
Beyond the UAE, works from the Foundation’s collection are being showcased internationally through partnerships with major art institutions. The Aranya Art Center Guangzhou is currently hosting In Absence and in Presence, an exhibition featuring over 70 works by 28 artists from West Asia, South Asia and Africa.
Later this year, the Irish Museum of Modern Art will present a special exhibition of works from the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection focused on artistic practices from Palestine and neighboring countries. The exhibition will include paintings, sculptures and video works dating back to the 1960s, with a spotlight on Palestinian artist Abdul Hay Mosallam Zarara.
The Foundation will also revive several of its flagship annual events during autumn 2026. The fifth edition of Perform Sharjah will run from October 11 to November 29 across Sharjah and Khorfakkan, offering live artistic performances in public and unconventional spaces.
Meanwhile, the ninth edition of Sharjah Film Platform will take place from October 30 to November 8, showcasing independent and experimental cinema from around the world. Selected films will compete for the Sharjah Film Platform Awards.
The season will conclude with the ninth edition of Focal Point, Sharjah’s annual art book fair, scheduled from December 11 to 13 at Bait Obaid Al Shamsi. The event will celebrate contemporary publishing and experimental print culture by bringing together artists, independent publishers and cultural producers from across the globe.
Sharjah Art Foundation’s latest programme further reinforces the emirate’s growing position as a major regional hub for contemporary art, cinema and cultural exchange.
