Sharjah Biennial
Sharjah Biennial takes place Jan 21 - Jun 13, 2027 (Sharjah Biennial 17) in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The dress code is Modest dress expected in Sharjah - shoulders and knees covered; comfortable walking shoes. Typical cost ranges from 100 to 500 EUR per person.
One of the most respected biennials anywhere, curatorially serious and research-driven rather than market-facing, staged across restored heritage buildings, art spaces and desert and coastal sites. Sharjah Biennial 17, titled What remains, sits restive, runs January 21 - June 13, 2027 with over 100 participants. Admission is free throughout.
- When
- Jan 21 - Jun 13, 2027 (Sharjah Biennial 17)
- Where
- Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Dress code
- Modest dress expected in Sharjah - shoulders and knees covered; comfortable walking shoes
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 100 to 500 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 22 - 25C mild winter days, cool evenings, mostly dry
- When to book
- No tickets needed; if targeting the art-world opening weekend, book Sharjah/Dubai rooms by autumn 2026
- Getting there
- DXB (Dubai), about 30 min by car to Sharjah's heritage area
- Where to stay
- The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, 72 Hotel Sharjah
- Official site
- https://www.sharjahart.org
How to attend
Free and open to the public across multiple venues for nearly five months. Pick up a venue map from the Sharjah Art Foundation, plan two to three days spanning the city heritage cluster plus outlying sites, and check the opening-weekend programme if you want the international art-world moment.
Sharjah Art Foundation venues, including the biennial, are free to enter with no ticket - simply turn up once it opens in January 2027.
Insider tip
The outlying venues at Al Hamriyah and Kalba are worth the drive but need a car - hire a driver for a day and treat it as a coast-to-coast art road trip.
Get inside Sharjah Biennial
Booking matters here: no tickets needed; if targeting the art-world opening weekend, book Sharjah/Dubai rooms by autumn 2026. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.