Bored? What if the muse you’ve been chasing, or the answer to your ennui, lies in the Al Quoz industrial area of Dubai?It’s where you’ll find the city’s vibrant art district, Alserkal Avenue, and it’s where you’ll experience Alserkal Art Month, which is happening right now.What is Alserkal Art Month?The Alserkal Art Month 2026 is fully underway, with new gallery exhibitions, public art shows, space takeovers, open studios, performances, reading groups and lots more. Although the event usually appears as an annual Art Week, this year offers an extended line-up.The event is running from April 18 to May 18 – a month-long celebration of art, spread across five weekends.The organisation’s website says the extension is because “challenging times require challenging programmes”, which is why Art Month is putting the spotlight on the wider artistic community.The timing was also influenced by the rescheduling of Art Dubai 2026 from April to May, following regional disruptions. Alserkal Avenue used the overlap to extend programming across five weeks and align its closing events with Art Dubai’s 20th edition, allowing for collaborative commissions, screenings, talks, and public programmes.Will it continue as a monthly event?Alserkal Avenue has not formally confirmed whether it will continue its month-long format next year. However, it is moving toward more consistent, expanded, and year-round cultural programming rather than limiting activity to a single concentrated week. The 2026 edition reflects a broader long-term shift toward sustained public programming, deeper community engagement, and a more expansive cultural calendar.Where is Alserkal Avenue?Alserkal Avenue is located in the Al Quoz industrial area of Dubai. The Avenue is served by three entrances – on 17th Street, 6A Street and First Al Khail Street in Al Quoz 1. The area is a pedestrian-only zone every weekday from 7pm onwards, and all day on weekends.The Avenue is also pet-friendly, but pet policies vary across different spaces, so it’s recommended to check beforehand, especially if you’d like to tour an exhibition.What else can we do there?Beyond visual art, visitors can expect independent cinemas, live performances, talks, workshops, literary events, concept stores, cafés, wellness studios, and creative pop ups spread across the industrial warehouse spaces of Al Quoz.The Avenue is home to institutions such as Cinema Akil, the UAE’s first independent cinema, alongside design studios, fashion concepts, artisanal cafés, and performance venues that regularly host concerts, poetry readings, movement workshops, and interdisciplinary cultural programming.The district also places strong emphasis on public engagement and accessibility. Many programmes are community driven and designed to encourage interaction rather than passive viewing, including family activities, guided art walks, open studios, wellness experiences, and educational initiatives for children and young creatives.Food is also a big part of the experience, during Alserkal Art Month. Visitors can spend an entire day exploring specialty cafés, homegrown restaurants, bookstores, creative retail spaces, and seasonal markets. How much is the cost of entry?Here’s the best part – programs are free to attend! You will need to register before coming, however, through Alserkal Art Month’s website: alserkalartmonth.online.What’s on right now?Here are all the programmes running this weekend.Create your own: Split Spin Animal PuppetsThis is one for kids aged 4 to 10 years! Create your own moving animal puppets, with Medaf Creative Studio + Art Spaces. Participants will colour pre-cut paper animal pieces using markers, explore patterns and textures, then assemble the parts with split pins to create jointed puppets. A fun hands-on activity that encourages creativity, storytelling, and imaginative play.When: May 10, 11am to 12pmWhere: Project Space, Alserkal AvenueCost: Free, but pre-registration on the website is required.Here and ElsewhereAs the ‘here’ is reshaped by ongoing upheaval, the ‘elsewhere’ becomes crucial, even if it’s at times unreachable or distant. The Here and Elsewhere exhibition brings together a selection of texts and images that move through poetry, drawing, writing, and speculative gestures. It includes works by artists Omar Berrada, Ibrahim Nehme, Bell Hooks, Michael Taussig and others. The programme shares an insistence on vocalising, on bearing witness, while tracing ways to resist and reimagine.When: May 10, 5pm to 6.30pmWhere: Common Room, WH51, Alserkal AvenueCost: Free, but pre-registration on the website is required.Music: An evening with NOONBe prepared for more than just a performance. This session, featuring Ratish Chadha (drums/percussion), Hosny (oud/vocals), and Steven Bedford (bass/electronics) opens up a conversation around what it really takes for independent artists from the region to break into major music cities around the world. NOON will share their own experiences, while also giving a glimpse into their second studio album.When: May 10, 7pm to 8pmWhere: Project Space, Alserkal AvenueCost: Free, but pre-registration on the website is required.New exhibitions and events are announced every Monday, and you can find them on Alserkal Avenue’s social media channels.

Did you receive a job offer to work in the UAE? That’s great news! Before you start packing, however, it’s best to ensure the offer is legitimate, valid, and approved by the authorities. If it’s not, you might be a victim of labour and visa fraud.What is labour and visa fraud?Visa fraud involves scammers impersonating employers or agents, and offering fake jobs and forged employment visas. They may use fake shell companies to trick victims into using their tourist visas for employment, which is illegal. Some may also demand upfront fees for visa processing or insurance.What the law says about recruitment proceduresIt’s important to know and understand UAE’s regulations related to employment and visa stipulations. This is the first step in safeguarding yourself from scams.As per UAE Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 concerning Labour Relations, visit visas and tourist visas do not give you the right to work in the UAE, whether for pay or without compensation. Working under these types of visas may subject the person to heavy fines and legal liability, including deportation, lifetime entry bans, and imprisonment, depending on the nature and use of forged documents.If someone offers you a job in the UAE, they must provide you with an offer letter issued by the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). You can check the letter’s validity in the steps below.As per UAE’s Labour Law, the employer is responsible for payment of recruitment expenses. This includes work permits, medical tests, and residence visa processing. If you receive a real job offer, you will never be asked to pay for these costs.If you live elsewhere and have received a UAE residence visa, ahead of your travel to the country, be aware that this is not possible. A residence visa cannot be processed for applicants outside the UAE. The applicant must first enter the country with a valid entry permit and remain in the UAE, until the residence visa issuance process is finalised.Steps to stay safe from labour and visa fraudThe employment process in the UAE’s private sector involves receiving a formal job offer, signing the employment contract, receiving the work permit, and then receiving the work visa.There are several steps you can take to ensure the job offer letter is real, and that you are on track to working legally in the UAE. The MOHRE shared these tips to follow, before arriving for your job in the UAE:Step 1: Ensure the company existsThe first step to avoiding scams is to learn whether the company offering you the job really exists. You can search for the company’s English and Arabic name in the UAE’s National Economic Registry, to learn more about them.Access the Registry here: https://growth.gov.ae/g2cStep 2: Ensure the offer letter is legitimateIf you are offered a job in the UAE, you must get an offer letter issued by MOHRE, signed by the authorised manager.According to MOHRE, a job offer contains a detailed description of the rights and obligations of both parties in accordance with the UAE Labour Law, in addition to the terms and conditions of employment.The job offer letter must be provided in Arabic and English, as well as in a third language that the worker understands. It must be accompanied by an annex (available on MOHRE’s website), containing a detailed outline of the provisions of the UAE Labour Law.The employer must sign the job offer electronically and send it to the worker in their home country either directly, through a recruitment agency, or via any designated entity, for review and approval by the worker. Workers must acknowledge they have understood the letter, and provide their signature or fingerprint.Step 3: Verify the validity of the job offerBefore you sign, however, it’s wise to verify whether the job offer is valid. Follow these steps:Visit MOHRE’s Inquiry Service portal: inquiry.mohre.gov.aeClick on the Inquiry Services section and then select ‘Enquiry for Job Offer’.Here, you will need to input the following details:Transaction number: A unique alphanumerical code, which is printed under the MOHRE logo on the offer letter.Company number: Every organisation has a unique ‘Company number’ or ‘Establishment number’. This information is available on the offer letter.From Date and To Date: The agreed-upon duration for the fixed-term contract. It is usually set for two years.Select ‘All Work Permits’ from the drop-down menu.Enter the Captcha information to prove you are a human user. Then select ‘Submit’.If the offer is legitimate, the system will display your job offer details, confirming its validity. If any important details, like the MOHRE logo, the transaction number, or company number, are missing, it is a red flag and you must proceed with caution.Step 4: Receive and verify your work permitIf you have verified and signed the job offer letter, the next step is acquiring an entry permit to the UAE. The employer must send you an electronic entry permit for employment, which allows you to enter the UAE and complete your residence visa application process. It is typically valid for 60 days from issuance.When you check the validity of your entry permit, the most important detail to look for is the expiry date. This date helps you plan travel arrangements and any extensions, and helps you avoid last-minute problems or the risk of overstaying.To verify the validity of an entry permit issued by any of the seven emirates, follow the steps below.If your visa/entry permit was issued in Dubai: You can verify its validity on the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA). The GDRFA manages entry permits and residence visa status enquiries. Its jurisdiction includes mainland Dubai, and free zones, such as Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA), Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai Internet City, and others.Visit the following link: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Public_Th/StatusInquiry_New.aspxEnter your application number, transaction number, and the payment date for the visa. The employer can send this information to you, as it is provided to them at the time of applying for the work permit.Alternatively, if you already have your entry permit on hand, search by ‘File’ and key in the file number displayed on your work permit, to check its validity.Provide other details, like first name, nationality, and birth date.Check the box that verifies your identity as a human user. Next, select ‘Search’.You will then be able to check if your application is still being processed. If your permit has already been sent to you, you can confirm its validity period, including the issuance and expiry dates.If your application has been approved, but you have not received your permit yet, the GDRFA allows you to download the entry permit as a PDF file. You will need to print the permit before travel and bring it with you, since airlines will require it for boarding verification, and immigration officers will verify it upon your arrival.If your visa/entry permit was issued in other emirates: For the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, you can check the status of your visa application and its validity on the website of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Its jurisdiction includes mainland visas as well as free zone visas issued under Sharjah Airport International Free Zone Authority (SAIF Zone), Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), and twofour54 in Abu Dhabi.Visit the following link: https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidityIn the ‘Search by’ section, select ‘Passport information’.In the ‘Select the Type’ section, check ‘Visa’.In the ‘File Type’ section, click on ‘Emirate Unified Number’. This is a unique 9-to-15-digit code that serves as a permanent immigration record, linking your visas, entry permits and residency details. You can find it on your entry permit.Next, enter your nationality and date of birth. Complete the human user check, and click ‘Search’.Here, you should receive an update on the validity of your entry permit, including your file issuance and expiry dates.Step 5: Ask the right peopleIf you have questions or doubts at any stage of the employment or visa process, you can receive clarifications and answers from the authorities. Here are some authorised channels to note, depending on which emirate you expect to work in.Dubai:If you require assistance or have an enquiry about your visa, you can contact the GDRFA on their toll-free number, 800 5111 (if you are in the UAE), or call them on +97143139999 (if you are outside the UAE). The contact centre is available 24/7.In Dubai, you can also receive help on visas and entry permits through a live chat service: chat.gdrfad.gov.ae/WebChatASPOther emirates:If you have visa-related questions or if the online visa validity check returned unclear results, call ICP’s toll-free number at 600522222 (if within the UAE) or +971600522222 (if outside the UAE). The helpline operates from 7.30am to 3.30pm.The ICP also has a live chat service, called Hamad, which you can access for immediate feedback. Visit: icp.gov.ae/en/support-agent