The authority described ISEA2026 as the largest edition of the long-running symposium to date, expecting it to draw artists, researchers and innovators worldwide to examine the convergence of art, science and technology. A hybrid format will allow both in-person participation in a citywide artistic programme and remote access to an academic track, according to details released by Dubai Culture. The event builds on the emirate’s established role in fostering creative sectors that blend heritage with forward-looking digital practices.
Registration for the live artistic programme is free though required, while the online academic sessions carry a fee of AED 180 for standard attendees or AED 90 for students providing a valid university email address, Dubai Culture figures show. Venues spanning Al Shindagha, Al Wasl Plaza at Expo City Dubai, ARTE Museum and the Theatre of Digital Art will host exhibitions, installations, performances and related activities during the November dates. The rescheduling from an earlier April window followed consultations with partners to ensure optimal delivery of the full programme.
Maitha Ali Al Blooshi, Director of the Emerging Arts Department at Dubai Culture and Executive Director of ISEA2026, said the global response to the call for participation reflects the emirate’s ability to bring artists, researchers and practitioners together. She added that the symposium will give local talent a chance to learn, experiment and build links with specialised international networks. Al Blooshi presented the plans during a session at the Ars Electronica Festival in Austria in September.
More than 1,000 submissions were received for the artistic and academic tracks, from which over 90 artworks and more than 140 academic contributions were selected, a Dubai Culture assessment found. The confirmed agenda encompasses over 140 papers, more than 40 artist talks, 10 panel discussions, 10 workshops and several special-track exhibitions. These elements will transform Dubai into a temporary hub for interdisciplinary exchange at the intersection of creative practice and emerging technologies.
ISEA International, the body coordinating the annual symposium, traces the series to its founding event in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in 1988, with the organisation formally established two years later to promote dialogue among artists, scientists and technologists. Subsequent editions have been hosted in cities across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Australia, establishing ISEA as one of the premier platforms for electronic and emerging art. The 2026 gathering in Dubai marks a notable expansion in scale for the Middle East region.
The theme ELYAH draws on Dubai’s identity as a place where innovation meets cultural depth, encouraging explorations of how data, place and identity intersect in contemporary creative work, according to the organisers. Special attention will go to reinterpreting traditional forms such as calligraphy through digital media in one dedicated track. Participants can expect a blend of scholarly presentations, hands-on workshops and public-facing installations designed to engage both specialist and general audiences across multiple districts.
