4:00 pm–6:00 pm
The Flying Saucer
Meetup and book launch (Arabic)
Sci-fi enthusiasts, writers and artists are invited to gather for a discussion of the sci-fi genre in a casual setting. They will also explore the new book The Flying Saucer with its authors.
5:00 pm–7:00 pm
Basics of Illustrating
Workshop (Arabic and English)
Young people between the ages of 11 and 16 will enjoy this workshop with graphic designer and children’s book illustrator Wafa Ibrahim, who will explain the fundamentals of illustrative art and share her projects and experiences.
5:00 pm–7:00 pm
Visual Diary
Workshop (Arabic and English)
Children aged 6 to 10 will make a personal planner using recycled paper, bookbinding techniques and drawings.
6:00 pm–8:00 pm
Sketch Artist Meetup and Launch of Corniche 4
Meetup and book launch (Arabic and English)
In this meetup, sketch artists, both hobbyists and professionals, are invited to share, critique and discover each other’s work and build a network of peers in Sharjah. The discussion will be followed by the launch of the fourth edition of Corniche, an annual publication bringing together artists and illustrators from Sharjah and the wider region who specialise in comics.
7:00 pm–10:00 pm
Hosny & Friends
Musical performance
Sharing his Nubian heritage, Alexandria-born oud player Hosny will jam live with his bandmates.
4:00 pm–4:10 pm
Introduction to Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual Publishing Grant
Presentation (Arabic and English)
Winning publications and research projects from the Foundation’s 2021 Publishing Grant will be presented, and winners of the 2022 open call will be announced.
4:10 pm–4:30 pm
State of Cinema
Artist talk (Arabic)
Translator and author Bakhita Al Ameri will discuss her translation project State of Cinema, a compilation of manifestos from filmmakers and theorists.
4:30 pm–4:50 pm
Landwalks: Across Palestine and South Africa
Artist talk (English)
Tomà Berlanda and Meghan Ho-Tong will present their publication Landwalks: Across Palestine and South Africa, which explores embodied ways of knowing land and reclamation of collective landscape through artistic practices and research.
4:50 pm–5:10 pm
(Fine) Arts Dissertations Series
Artist talk (English)
In this presentation, Bangalore-based publishers Reliable Copy (Nihaal Faizel and Sarasija Subramanian) present facsimiles of artist books made by Pushpamala N. and Praneet Soi as part of their master’s study at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
5:10 pm–5:30 pm
How to Not Build a Nation
Artist talk (English)
The Forest Curriculum (Abhijan Toto) and Yonaz Kristy present an eight-part experimental and research-oriented zine publication from artists and collaborators across south and southeast Asia on the ways in which nation states reproduce colonial and pre-colonial violences.
5:30 pm–6:45 pm
Khalil Rabah: Falling Forward / Works (1995–2025)
Artist talk with Q&A (English)
In this talk, artist Khalil Rabah and Ahmad Makia will explore the process of making Rabah’s first major monograph, Falling Forward / Works (1995–2025), which presents a comprehensive selection of his twenty-five-year practice and exhibition materials.
6:00 pm–7:00 pm
Aisha’s Pearl
Reading (English)
Storyteller and illustrator Maitha Al Khayyat will conduct a reading of the beautifully illustrated children’s book Aisha’s Pearl, written by Julia Johnson.
7:00 pm–onwards
Community Book Launches
Book signings and networking
Browse the art book fair, and get signed copies of Sharjah Art Foundation’s most recent releases as well as new books from Focal Point participants and publishers.
7:00 pm–10:00 pm
Sways N Edges
Musical performance
The Sways N Edges trio will explore funk and soul through popular covers and original jams.
5:00 pm–6:00 pm
Book Haul
Meetup (Arabic and English)
Bring your favourite books from your Focal Point purchases, and share them with fellow art book enthusiasts in an engaging session of feedback, discussion and discovery.
6:00 pm–7:00 pm
Majd’s Box
Reading (Arabic)
Children and young adults of all ages are welcome to join Omar Al Obedli for a reading of Majd’s Box, co-authored by Kifah Bu Ali and Toqa Al Hamrany.
7:00 pm–10:00 pm
Adiga
Musical performance
Formed in 2016, Dubai-based Sudanese group Adiga brings traditional rustic sounds from Sudan to the present. Blending nostalgia with the current musical soundscape, the trio adds a modern experimental twist to the classic Sudanese tone.