Dubai’s First Art and Culture District Welcomes Visitors
By Apoorva Dudani
DUBAI – Alserkal Avenue, a pioneering art and culture district in the Al Quoz industrial area of Dubai, is open for visitors.
According to Alserkal Avenue’s official website, it is home to over 70 contemporary art galleries, visual and performing arts organizations, designers, entrepreneur-led local businesses, and community spaces across 90 warehouses.
The 500,000-square-foot district provides facilities for research and artistic production, such as studios, tools and equipment, along with cultural practitioners teaching pottery, painting and photography workshops. Local vendors commonly sell sustainably produced handicrafts, accessories and clothes.
The center is also home to Cinema Akil, the first arthouse cinema in the Gulf and Dubai’s biggest independent film platform.
According to Alserkal Avenue’s official website, the movie theater brings critically acclaimed films from around the world to audiences in the UAE, and it aims “to increase awareness of different styles of filmmaking.”
Additionally, the location has pop-up cafes, restaurants and food trucks offering street snacks, beverages and workspaces with free Wi-Fi. The district also houses retail showrooms attracting classic car and motorcycle enthusiasts.
Alserkal Avenue opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. from Saturdays to Thursdays.
