The region’s top contemporary culture festival is back for its 10th anniversary.
Sole DXB, Dubai’s hotly anticipated, culture-leading festival, returns this December after a three-year hiatus for its 10th anniversary edition. With previous guests including Nas, Stormzy, Hiroshi Fujiwara, and Petra Collins, guests can expect another stellar lineup of talent from the worlds of music, fashion, visual art and sports.
Taking place from 9 to 11 December, a record number of festival-goers are expected to descend on Dubai Design District (d3).
Spotlighting a different subculture for each edition, this year Sole DXB brings the story home, celebrating excellence across the Arab world and its diaspora, working with Moroccan visual artist Hassan Hajjaj as its first festival host. This summer, the Sole team travelled to Morocco to learn and draw inspiration from the culture, and to connect with creators and creatives, some of whom sit front and centre of the festival’s iconic campaign shot by Hassan, in the historic Madina of Marrakech. This year’s campaign features Moroccan rapper ElGrande Toto and master vocalist and percussionist, Khadija El Warzazia. The festival will also feature musicians, designers, artists, speakers and athletes from the UAE, Kuwait, KSA, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria, and more.
Speaking of the collaboration, Hassan Hajjaj said “Over the last 10 years, I’ve witnessed Sole DXB develop as a platform for self-expression. A space where you can come and be yourself… where you are celebrated for who you are.
I believe that art can move us forward. It can dispel stereotypes. I believe in our youth and the next generation of creators that are showing us that we aren’t just consumers of the culture, but are actively contributing to it.
My work this year with Sole DXB was to build a space that was a reflection of those shared values. The Arab world is not a monolith. It’s a collection of diverse people with a shared heritage. Our contributions to the world have changed the course of history and we’re here to show that we aren’t out of ideas.
Collaborating with Sole DXB has been a family affair. A reminder that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Attendees can expect to find a highly-curated selection of global brands, from sportswear and contemporary giants to the best of independent fashion and design from the region and beyond. The festival will host exclusive experiential installations from the likes of New Balance, Puma, and The Giving Movement.
Other key elements of the event include the Sole Ball Above All Invitational, the region’s most competitive streetball tournament and the Sneaker Swap, where people will have the opportunity to buy, sell and trade footwear from leading collectors in the region.
Pre-sale tickets will be available on 10 October and are priced at AED 375. General admission tickets will be available from 24 October and ae priced at AED 295 per day, or AED 450 for a weekend pass.
Tickets are available through Virgin Megastore Tickets, Dubai Calendar App, and www.soledxb.com.
