Following its successful debut last year, Reflection, Sharjah’s popular festival of music, art and knowledge, is gearing up for a spectacular comeback this year at the tourist, leisure, and cultural destination, Al Qasba from 18 – 22 December, 2019.

Over the course of five days, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sharjah’s premier tourist, leisure and family destination will be transformed into a vibrant hub for lovers of music, arts, photography, theatre and more, as prestigious names in the arts and culture field from across the UAE will offer activities, workshops and live performances to visitors across age groups.

Free and open to the public, Reflection will be spread across Al Qasba, and will offer a diverse line-up of activities for all age groups, including live painting sessions, photography walks, popular board games like chess, traditional music and dance performances, paper flower arrangement workshops, informative talks, short film screenings at Masrah Al Qasba – Theatre, ballet recitals and stage performances by school students, as well as an exhibition on wheels brought in on a Sharjah Museums Department bus.

In the field of arts, live painting sessions will be held by the International Water Colour Society, Indian Association Sharjah and Arts4All while Sharjah University will hold live portrait drawing workshops where participants can work on accessories, postcards, fabric bags and abayas. Sharjah University will also host a silk printmaking workshop after which the finished artworks will be displayed at the venue.

Artist Mohammed Okasha of Maraya Art Center, will hold several craft activities including a paper flower making workshop, a contemporary craft that is a perfect backdrop for special occasions. Participants can learn this technique in a step-by-step guided session. In the fashion illustration workshop, Okasha will introduce styles and techniques through drawing and sketching a fashion figure and participants will also get to explore different colours, texture and draping effects.

Sharjah-based environmental management company, Bee’ah, will be hosting a series of art and craft workshops for both children and adults, teaching them ways to use their imagination and creativity to turn everyday household materials and waste into beautiful crafts. While the kids can learn how to turn old
t-shirts into cool bags, adults can get crafty at three workshops on the making of pop-up cards, magazine collage art and stationery organisers. Two sessions will be delivered for each workshop, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

American University of Sharjah (AUS) will host an Ikebana Design Workshop offering a hands-on introduction to the Japanese art of flower arrangement, while its College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) students will present a photographic exhibition of contemporary furniture design.

In theatre, the Performing Arts Coordinator, Prof. Anthony Tassa at AUS will present an ‘Acting: Sound and Movement’ workshop; Naser Al Sughaiyer of The Human Lab company will hold an Acting & Improvisational Theatre workshop; and Media Mantra company will hold a variety of stage performances.

AKSG will host several traditional music and dance performances including Zumba lessons and Bollywood dance sessions.

Photography lovers will have much to look forward to at the 2019 edition of Reflection where Nikon School will present theory sessions on basic photographic skills and take participants for a photo walk session along Al Qasba for practical lessons in photography fundamentals and techniques. These are open only to participants aged 18 and above.

Emirates Falcon Photography Society will mark its presence at the event with a stunning array of images shot by its members.

Jerboa, the most common rodent in the UAE desert and known for its intelligence and resourcefulness, will feature prominently on a series of ‘I Love Sharjah’ products at special kiosks at Reflection this year. These will include caps, T-shirts, pens, and medals, and many other products that are appropriate for different ages and at different prices.

“As a leisure, tourism and cultural destination, we are committed to hosting events that foster greater community spirit while also enriching the quality of life of our visitors. Reflection is a five-day immersive journey that weaves together a wide-ranging mix of activities and experiences for all ages, and is now an integral part of Sharjah’s cultural calendar,” said Mohamed Al Hosani, Acting General Manager of Al Qasba. “Al Qasba’s idyllic setting sets the stage for this unique event, which also combines an incredible choice of delicious food and outdoor activities to further enhance its family-friendly appeal.”