Emirates LitFest to return with bigger edition in Jan

dubai — The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is set to return for a bigger edition early next year, with the event scheduled over three weekends from January 29 to February 13, 2021, it was announced on Wednesday.

The festival is teaming up with Jameel Arts Centre and Alserkal to expand the event across Dubai.

Showcasing literature, art, film, food, and performance, the festival will be held under the theme ‘Change the Story’. It will kick off on January 29 at Jameel Arts Centre and conclude on February 13 at Alserkal Avenue.

The first weekend will feature a series of talks, workshops, masterclasses and literary-themed exhibitions linking art, popular culture, and literature against the backdrop of Dubai’s contemporary arts museum and Sculpture Park.

This will be followed by the ‘big festival weekend’ at the InterContinental Festival City, where audiences can enjoy more than 80 diverse sessions, featuring writers of every genre from the different parts of the world.

The third and final weekend at Alserkal Avenue will be a community celebration of film, food, creativity, and all things literary.

Ahlam Bolooki, festival director, said: “This has been a difficult year for all of us, particularly the creative sector, which is facing unprecedented challenges. We want to work with our partners and friends to ensure our creative communities continue to thrive.

“Bringing the LitFest magic to these three fantastic venues across Dubai allows them to reach new audiences while extending our festival’s reach, bridging the gap between art, creativity and literature.”

All events and activities will be held with strict Covid-19 safety measures in place. The full programme will be revealed in the last week of December. Due to social distancing guidelines, there will be fewer tickets available for every session, hence, early booking is recommended.

Bringing the LitFest magic to three fantastic venues across Dubai allows them to reach new audiences while extending our festival’s reach, bridging the gap between art, creativity and literature.”

Ahlam Bolooki, festival director