ISEA2026 Dubai unveils artistic vision for global creative convergence
Dubai Culture reveals the artistic and academic programme for the 31st International Symposium on Electronic/Emerging Art, positioning the emirate as a beacon for innovation, creativity and cultural exchange
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority has unveiled a comprehensive artistic and academic programme for the 31st International Symposium on Electronic/Emerging Art, a prestigious gathering unfolding from 6 to 15 November 2026 beneath the evocative theme ‘ELYAH: Constellating Place, Data and Identity’. This significant event explores the rich convergence of artistic practice, scientific inquiry and technological innovation, whilst substantially advancing Dubai Culture’s Digital Arts Roadmap and strengthening the emirate’s standing as a global cultural powerhouse.
The symposium embraces a thoughtfully conceived hybrid format, seamlessly merging an expansive in-person artistic programme dispersed across multiple distinguished venues throughout Dubai with a comprehensive online academic programme. This integrated approach facilitates meaningful exchange amongst artists, researchers and practitioners from across the globe, enabling the translation of international scholarly dialogue into immersive artistic experiences that resonate with residents and visitors alike.
The artistic dimension has attracted an extraordinary response, with more than 1,000 submissions received and over 100 artworks selected for presentation. The academic programme, equally compelling, showcases more than 150 shortlisted submissions alongside an ambitious agenda comprising over 140 academic papers, more than 40 artist talks and sessions, over 15 workshops, more than 10 panel discussions, seven Eco Labs and four special-track exhibitions and sessions.
The academic programming encompasses keynote addresses, specialised paper presentations, expert panel discussions and engaging artist talks. A distinguished strand, the New Media Art Summit, investigates the evolving landscape of artistic practice as shaped by digital networks, immersive environments, interactive media and artificial intelligence, whilst Eco Labs facilitate essential inquiry into the intricate relationships between ecological systems, technological advancement and artistic creation.
Across the emirate, the artistic programme presents audiences with compelling encounters with digital and emerging art through exhibitions, performances and immersive installations. Programming extends to 20 locations including Al Safa Art & Design Library, Etihad Museum, Kanvas and Foundry Gallery, alongside experiences at ARTE Museum, performances at TODA, and luminous projection mapping at Al Wasl Dome. A special focus, Evolving Calligraphy, Letter Art, Typography, examines the imaginative reimagining of letterforms, writing systems and calligraphic traditions through digital and computational innovation.
Maitha Ali Al Blooshi, Director of the Emerging Arts Department at Dubai Culture, emphasised the symposium’s instrumental role in strengthening Dubai’s international cultural prominence. She noted that the worldwide response reflects the emirate’s distinctive capacity to convene artists, researchers and creative practitioners within an environment that cultivates innovation and intellectual exchange. ISEA2026 Dubai furnishes local creative talent with invaluable opportunities to learn, experiment and forge meaningful connections within specialised international networks whilst generating platforms through which technology, imagination, knowledge and culture converge to produce transformative ideas and artistic approaches.
The thematic framework encompasses four cardinal academic tracks: Celestial Dialogues, which contemplates art, technology and cosmic imagination; Charting Constellations, exploring mapping, networks and identity; Eco-Tech Futures, examining ecological and technological responsibility; and Starlinked Worlds, investigating artificial intelligence and virtual environments.
Source: WAM