Now entering its eleventh season, The Arts Center’s theme “Stories of Our Communities” evokes both a celebration and a reflection of who we are, where we have been, and what connects us across borders and generations. Inspired by the UAE’s Year of Community, the programme explores the shared experiences that shape identity, heritage, and belonging. From the Global South to mixed-media frontiers, the season’s performances examine how we remember, rebuild, and reimagine our world through art.

In this new era, The Arts Center remains what it has always aspired to be: a world-class performing arts venue deeply rooted in the UAE’s cultural landscape and shaped by the creative energy of Saadiyat Island. The upcoming season brings together visionary artists from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, alongside long-term collaborators and local voices — each weaving stories that reflect the diversity and dynamism of Abu Dhabi today.

The opening lineup alone captures that ambition: the Arab world premiere of Find Your Eyes by British artist Benji Reid; Dear Children, Sincerely…, a poignant cross-continental collaboration between Sri Lankan and Rwandan theatre companies; and Othello, a decolonial reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy directed by South Africa’s acclaimed Lara Foot. Later in the year, returning favourites like Kid Koala’s The Storyville Mosquito and Ahmed El Attar’s deeply human Discreet Charm of the Pillars of Society continue the theme — blending tradition and innovation, intimacy and spectacle.

We spoke with Bill Bragin, Executive Artistic Director of The Arts Center, about curating across continents, building creative communities, and what it means to enter a bold new decade of storytelling. Check out Episode 6 of The Creative Hour podcast to get to know Bill.

— Bill, you have called this season “a confident affirmation of who we are.” What gives Season 11 that sense of confidence and identity?

— For me, that confidence comes from trust — the trust we have built with our audiences over the past decade. Take Find Your Eyes by Benji Reid. It is a piece that is impossible to fully describe — a fusion of photography, movement, and theatre. We programmed it knowing that our audience would need to come with an open mind, ready to experience something completely new.

That is what we mean by “Come Curious. Leave Inspired.” It is about discovery. And it is also about how we care for artists: making sure their work looks and sounds extraordinary, and that they feel truly supported here in Abu Dhabi. Benji said performing here was the highlight of his tour — that kind of response tells us we are on the right path.

— Dear Children, Sincerely… and Othello are powerful early-season productions. How do they reflect the season’s theme of “Stories of Our Communities”?

— Dear Children, Sincerely… is a collaboration between Sri Lanka’s Stages Theatre Group and Rwanda’s Mashirika Performing Arts. It is a remarkable South–South dialogue that explores colonial and postcolonial histories — how trauma is processed and retold through art. Through these specific mirrored histories, audiences of many backgrounds can build empathy and deeply feel what we share as humans, despite where we come from.

Then there is Othello, directed by the brilliant Lara Foot and performed by the Baxter Theatre from Cape Town. It is a decolonial reimagining told in three languages — English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa — that reframes Shakespeare through a South African lens.

Both productions speak to the complexity of identity, history, and healing. And importantly, they embody the multilingual, multicultural way of living that defines the UAE.

— There is a clear sense of connection and hybridity running through the programme. How intentional was that in your curatorial process?

— It is more organic than deliberate — but it reflects our ongoing interests. My co-curator, Reem Allam, and I are drawn to the in-between spaces: where cultures, languages, and art forms meet.

For example, The Discreet Charm of the Pillars of Society, coming later in the season, explores intermarriage and cross-cultural relationships through a devised, scripted play. That theme echoes Othello, and even Find Your Eyes — all these works, in their own way, examine identity, vulnerability, and transformation. Festivals like Tamaas or our upcoming concert with Malian kora master Ballaké Sissoko, collaborating with South African guitarist Derek Gripper on a bill with Ukrainian bandura player Maryna Krut, similarly explore border-crossing musicians.

As curators, we choose each piece for its own strength — but together, they start to converse with one another. That is where the season’s deeper narrative emerges.

— The Arts Center has also become known for building communities — not just audiences. How do you nurture that offstage?

— Our "Off the Stage presented by Mubadala" programme is central to that. We bring visiting artists into conversation with students, faculty, and emerging UAE-based creators through workshops and panels. In a place where many artists have trouble finding “their people”, these activities help build creative networks while enhancing their skills.

We have hosted “How to Make a Life as an Artist” sessions — practical, honest conversations about sustaining creativity in the UAE. And our artist development initiative, Numoo, helps local musicians and performers refine their knowledge of the practical side of being an artist, beyond their craft itself. It also helped lead us to commission the UAE-based Filipino-led group 63Kolektib, for instance, went on last June to create Metro Diaries, which beautifully told migrant community stories through dance, spoken word, and video.

We also hold dinners — informal, unpublicised gatherings for artists and community members. Those dinners are where relationships grow. I love the saying: “All great art movements aren’t born in venues — they are born around the dinner table.” And we really strive to create such safe spaces like at one’s dinner party — like at the long table.

— One of your longtime collaborators returns this year with Kid Koala’s The Storyville Mosquito. What makes this project special for you?

— Kid Koala’s The Storyville Mosquito is such a joyful piece. It combines live music, puppetry, and real-time filmmaking — a full cinematic world built before your eyes. We actually co-commissioned it back in 2020, but it was cancelled when the pandemic hit. It came for an interrupted run in 2022, so we know there are many local fans clamouring to see it.

Bringing it back now feels like poetic justice. It is funny, heartwarming, and visually stunning — something that families, teenagers, and adults can all enjoy together. Kid Koala is an extraordinary artist; this is his third visit to Abu Dhabi, and every time he is here, he brings an energy of playfulness, generosity, and invention.

— Beyond theatre and performance, music and film remain vital to your programming. What should audiences watch for this season?

— Music is always the heartbeat. Our Tamaas Festival will feature Yasmin Hamdan’s long-awaited return, alongside the UAE debuts of Al-Qasar’s desert psych “Arabian Fuzz” and Barcelona’s Maruja Limón — an all-women flamenco-rumba group.

We are also presenting our annual Hekayah | The Story for UAE National Day, blending spoken word and music in collaboration with local artists — many of whom emerged from our earlier "Rooftop Rhythms" community.

And in film, "CinemaNa" continues to shine a spotlight on contemporary Arab cinema. This fall, we are screening Happy Holidays (2024) by Scandar Copti — which won Best Screenplay at Venice — and My Driver and I (2024) by Saudi filmmaker Ahd Kamel. These aren’t just screenings,they are conversations, often moderated by the filmmakers themselves.

— Finally, as you look ahead to The Arts Center’s next decade, what is your vision for the future?

— We want to keep deepening our connections — with artists, audiences, and the city itself. The next decade is about expanding the circle: supporting UAE-based artists, developing new work, and bringing more voices from the Global South to international attention.

It is also about continuity — artists like Huang Yi, who performed in our first season and now returns with a new multi-media dance piece. Those long-term relationships remind us that art is a dialogue over time.

If we can continue to create a space where discovery happens — where people come curious and leave inspired — then we are fulfilling our purpose.