Sharjah Art Foundation announces the return of Perform Sharjah, running from October 11 to November 30, 2025. Now in its fourth edition, the festival extends across Sharjah and Khorfakkan, activating everyday spaces such as old schools, courtyards, lakes, and car parks. The programme remains free and open to the public, encouraging audiences to engage with live performance in new and unexpected contexts.
This year’s line-up brings together artists from the UAE, the wider region, and beyond, presenting works that reflect on connection, place, and memory. The programme features a range of performances including theatre, contemporary dance, and live music that blur the boundaries between audience and stage.
The season opens with Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Muhanad Kareem on October 11 at Africa Hall, Al Manakh. Adapted from Olga Tokarczuk’s novel, the work explores violence and morality through stark, atmospheric storytelling. On October 24–25 in Sharjah and November 1–2 in Khorfakkan, Ahmed El Attar’s Every Brilliant Thing invites audience participation in an intimate performance about loss, resilience, and hope.
On October 26, Tunisian artists Selma and Sofiane Ouissi present Laaroussa Quartet at Al Qasimiyah School, a performance inspired by Tunisia’s clay doll-making tradition that connects heritage and movement. Later in the month, Nanda Mohammad’s Searching for Love will be performed at YourSpace, Aljada (October 31), and at the Al Dana Grand Ballroom, Khorfakkan (November 16), blending words and violin in an exploration of longing and belonging.
The waterfront takes centre stage in November with Music on the Barge, three consecutive nights of performances at Khalid Lake featuring Ruhaniyat (November 7), ADIGA (November 8), and Noon (November 9). Additional highlights include Minga of a House in Ruins by Ebana Garin Coronel and Luis Guenel Soto (November 21, Al Qasimiyah School), Souvenirs by Claire and Antho (November 28–29, Art Square), and Magec/The Desert by Radouan Mriziga (November 30, Bait Obaid Al Shamsi).
