Jameel Arts Centre’s ‘Down to Earth’: A celebration in Dubai of all things green

Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai's contemporary art institution, has announced ‘Down to Earth,’ a free, day-long gathering designed with and for the UAE’s growing eco- and socially-conscious community.

The event will take place outdoors at Jameel Arts Centre gardens and Sculpture Park, on December 12 (Saturday) from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The first-of-its-kind event will feature an accessible range of entertaining and educational activities, including a green bazaar, talks and workshops for all ages. From the balcony vegetable farmer to the high-rise jungle enthusiast to the suburban oasis dweller, ‘Down to Earth’ has something for everyone.

The gathering includes workshops, demos, giveaways and information stalls for children, teens and adults covering subjects ranging from caring for houseplants, potting, composting to Japanese flower arranging and innovative table setting.

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Guided tours of Jameel Arts Centre’s famed desert gardens led by botanists and curators as well as a program of children's activities will run throughout the day.

Jameel Arts Centre. Photo by architectural photographer Beno Saradzic.

The full schedule of events and speakers will be announced early December.

The inaugural ‘Down to Earth’ is a free community event; all visitors are required to pre-register for a two-hour slot and also sign up for limited-capacity specific talks and workshops.

The event features a green bazaar that promotes and supports local businesses, including an extensive plant market.

Situated throughout the Jameel Arts Centre’s extensive outdoor spaces will be a range of interactive awareness booths that present ideas and new products and reveal the secrets of living sustainably and growing, nurturing and accessorizing a broad variety of indoor and outdoor gardens.

Artist’s Garden by Asunción Molinos Gordo. IN TRANSIT Botany of a Journey installation at Jameel Arts Centre. (Photo by Dani Bapista).

Food stalls for light bites and refreshments will be available, as well as designated picnic areas across Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park.

Additionally, green aficionados are invited to enter Grow & Tell, the UAE’s first live forum for star gardeners, by submitting a description and photos of their home garden via an online application form (deadline: November 30).

Eight gardeners will be selected and invited to take to the Down to Earth stage on December 12 and present their share-worthy gardens, insights, tips and tricks in a lively showcase of the very best of UAE gardens.

About Jameel Arts Centre

One of the first contemporary arts institutions in Dubai, Jameel Arts Centre is a 10,000-square meter, three-storey, multi-disciplinary space designed by UK-based practice Serie Architects. The building is punctuated by seven gardens, designed by landscape architect Anouk Vogel, which reflect local and global desert biomes.

A view of Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. (Photo by Mohamed Somji: Courtesy Art Jameel)

Sitting alongside is the Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park, designed by waiwai, and a collaboration between Art Jameel and Dubai Holding.

Located by the creek in Dubai’s Jaddaf Waterfront neighborhood, the Centre’s galleries are complemented by the Jameel Library, an open-access research center dedicated to artists and cultural movements in the Gulf states and beyond.

The Jameel also includes project and commissions spaces, a writer’s studio, a restaurant and shop.

The Centre serves as a hub for educational and research initiatives for diverse audiences. Its wider programming embraces partnerships with local, regional and international artists, curators and organizations.