Under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture is organising the 22nd edition of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival from 11th December 2019 to 21st January 2020.

The new edition's theme, 'Prospect', will serve as a concept to unite artists and art enthusiasts.

Prospect is a scope open to infinity. It prompts contemplation and venturing on a journey towards visual realms that exist beyond the limits of space. It is about admiring beauty while being blindfolded. It is the practice of imagination that can invoke the absent beautiful and undiscovered realms.

The festival will contain 253 activities in the form of exhibitions, lectures, and workshops. More than 28 organisations assisted in the coordination of the festival's projects. There will be 55 exhibitions at the Sharjah Art Museum, Al Majaz Waterfront, Maraya Art Centre, and among other locations in the emirate, these exhibitions will be presenting works of artists from the UAE, the neighbouring Arab countries, and other countries from around the world.

The festival will also arrange for a dialogue between the artists and the audience, during which the artists will discuss the experiences that encouraged them to create contemporary visual art.