GALLERY EXHIBITIONS

ARTSPACE Gallery

Various Artists

ARTSPACE invites you to a special group show of various regional artists including Zakaria Ramhani, George Bahgory, Mohammed Abou El Naga and Ibrahim El Dessouki. The works on display relate to cultural identity as well as political views during these current times.

Jewelry by Lina Mansour

ARTSPACE also presents an exclusive preview of handmade jewelry by designer, Lina Mansour. 

www.artspace-dubai.com

Art Sawa

The galleries at the DIFC are pleased to announce the New Year’s first Art Nights @ Gate Village on Sunday, January 15 from 7-9 PM.

Art Nights returns after a successful series of vibrant cultural evenings that take place at the heart of Dubai’s financial district – DIFC Gate Village; a contemporary urban area that’s home to a collection of galleries, boutiques, restaurants and high‐end cafes.

The ongoing series of Art Nights @ Gate Village has become an essential part of Dubai’s calendar highlighting the important role that DIFC Gate Village plays in bringing art enthusiasts together. The event has grown in popularity and esteem through 2011 attracting everyone from art collectors and bankers to young creatives and families. The unique location and line up of exhibition openings as well as live acts creates an attractive ambience and experience for visitors and has come to play an integral role in promoting and supporting the arts and culture in Dubai.

Marking the start of Dubai’s new season of art related events, the much anticipated return of DIFC’s Art Nights @ Gate Village will be held on Wednesday, October 19 from 7-9 PM. Aimed at highlighting the significant role that DIFC Gate Village holds in the development of the arts and culture of the UAE, the forthcoming Art Nights will present a diverse program of events.

The month of May sees the return of Art Nights @ Gate Village, a series of art focused events taking place at DIFC Gate Village; a contemporary urban area that’s home to art galleries, boutiques and restaurants.

DIFC Galleries Night

As part of a series of activities leading up to the 2011 Art Dubai Fair, the DIFC Art Galleries will be hosting a viewing night at their premises in the DIFC Gate Village. Scheduled to run from 6:00pm - 9:00pm on Monday, March 14, each of the galleries will introduce their latest exhibition. With several openings and special receptions taking place, this event is not to be missed! Details of the exhibitions can be found below and for more information, please contact social@difc.ae

The team here at DIFC has been working round the clock to get our revamped website up and running – and while we were revamping our site, we decided to revamp our Facebook presence as well! We’ve migrated from our old group (DIFC – beyond the workplace) to a new page, which you can find by clicking on the below link or searching for us under our new name, DIFC Community.

Those of us working at DIFC have been hungrily eying ’s hoardings for some time now; and we’re very excited to anounce the French Riviera’s celebrated bistro has finally opened the doors to its newest restaurant in DIFC’s Gate Village.

Offering ‘á la minute’ dishes served “mezze style”, La Petite Maison’s menu is meant for sharing, which makes it perfect for a lunch break with your colleagues or a dinner with the family.

We’re fairly spoilt for choice when it comes to dining at DIFC – whether you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or to enjoy a more leisurely dining experience we’ve got quite a variety of restaurants and cafés to suit your palate. Having said that, there was something missing… Fast food that’s easy on the waistline! So we couldn’t be more excited when we found out North American fresh food outlet Freshii was set to open shop here at DIFC. After much anticipation, we are pleased to announce that Freshii has finally opened its doors to crowds, offering up its delicious, custom-built menu of salads, burritos, wraps, rice bowls, yogurt and soups. Freshii offers a new take on ‘healthy fast food’, which is all served in eco-friendly, bio-degradable packaging (talk about a feel-good meal!). Healthy and tasty meal options that’ll help us continue to fit into our designer suits? That’s golden.

Location:Marble Walk

Telephone: +9714 327 8083

Our coffee selection just expanded with the opening of Caffe Nero. With its signature Italian coffee and Italian influenced food, we really are spoilt for choice! 

Location: The Balcony, Precinct Building 2
Telephone: +9714 370 0505

On October 25th DIFC welcomed Ayyam Gallery to the community. There was an excited buzz in the air at Gate Village earlier in the day as the team at Ayyam rushed around setting up for the opening night, which featured recent work by Syrian painter Khaled Takreti. Their hard work paid-off, though, as the art scene hipsters flocked to the Gate Village that night and the vibrant space came to life.

With 1,500 square feet of space, Ayyam Gallery will feature contemporary artists from the Middle East. We’ve been avid fans of Ayyam Gallery since its inception 4 years ago; its reputation for expanding boundaries and engaging its audience is well-established. We’re looking forward to seeing what new developments will come from the Ayyam team, who has mentioned plans for a publishing house, an auctions branch and a program for fostering young talent.

Exciting times for the art-scene at DIFC! Visit Ayyam Gallery at GV 03

Location: GV 03
Telephone: +9714 323 6242
Email: dubai@ayyamgallery.com

Beyond the business talk, suits and briefcases there is a bustling community within DIFC that makes it more than just a financial centre. Whether it’s casual or fine dining, art and culture, CSR initiative or social event, there’s always something interesting going on around our district and we want to share the details with you! We’ll be using this space to post information on new openings, events, interviews, initiatives and everything in between.

We also hope to engage with you – our valued readers and visitors – to shape the news featured on this blog. Do you have a question for the Community Insider? Are you lost somewhere in DIFC? Post your comments and questions and we’ll be happy to help you out.

Welcome to DIFC Community Bulletin, the softer side of DIFC!