Kutubna Cultural Center

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Kutubna Cultural Center

Celebrating Khaleeji writing, poetry, and scholarship.

01/08/2026

During our poetry afternoon last Sunday photographer Lyra captured this funny moment. Caption the photo! (Be kind; in real life there was a very valid reason for Ruqaiya’s look! Although it does look like Ruqaiya is casting an evil spell worthy of Snow White’s queen…)

This post is created with permission of both رقية and 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐮𝐤𝐡 ✨

31/07/2026

Seeing these poets perform was magical. Their power was so strong it moved almost every audience member to take the mic afterward and recite their own poem. One professed “not a poet” wrote a poem on the spot and shared it—and it was a beautiful one.

We’re so grateful to all the poets for the wonderful afternoon, and can’t wait to gather with all of you again for more poetic alchemy.

Thank you to رقية for organizing the event and emceeing the whole afternoon!

Thank you, too, to our sponsors MelonMe and Koala Picks

Maryam Al Shawab Asma A.J Ahmed BinSulayem Shahd Thani 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐮𝐤𝐡 ✨ Amandeep Ahuja The Dreamwork Collective Vinay Vaswani .arem رقية Ali AlBlooshi

28/07/2026

September 4 will mark three years since Kutubna had its soft launch. The shelves and walls were bare, but many people already saw what Kutubna can be even in these early days. Our existence is a miracle. And every day we continue to serve writers, artists, scholars, and lovers of wisdom from all walks of life is a new testament to the spirit and soul of this beautiful city that is our home.

We are slowing down in August to take stock of what we accomplished in the last three years and to plan for the years ahead. As always, we look forward to welcoming you at Kutubna for specialty coffee, great books and art, and for the possibility of igniting your imagination and creating unexpected connections in your lives.

Thank you to every person who has sustained us, made this place possible, and gave us hope that human creativity will continue to be nourished.

27/07/2026

Open call to everyone who was or has been in the Gulf in the period between February 28 and the present. You can be part of our upcoming exhibition about life and culture during the conflict. The exhibition opens in October. Submissions may come from anywhere in the Gulf. For more information, please DM us or check the link in our bio.

This exhibition is part of Kutubna’s initiative Documenting Culture in The Gulf in A Time of War, an oral history project with more than 110 volunteers collecting interviews with people from all walks of life.

24/07/2026

In case you missed the storytime with Amal Farhan, you have another chance to experience it! The author of My Kerala Vacay is returning to Kutubna this Sunday at 3 pm to read her book and lead the kids in delightful activities. Come early to enjoy Kutubna’s indoor picnic with snacks, slime making, sensory play, and more.

Tickets for the storytime can be purchased on our website and you can reserve a picnic spot for free at kutubna.ae.

AMAL FARHAN Little Books by Amal Farhan

23/07/2026

Get ready for Sunday’s indoor picnic at Kutubna by reserving a picnic snack!

The Kutubna-themed tote bag includes fresh sliced vegetables, a delicious selection of freshly baked breads, a variety of cheeses, labneh, butter, crackers, croissants, sweet pastries, and a selection of delicious spreads, jams, honey, and refreshing fresh orange juice.

Curated with sharing in mind, the Kutubna Picnic Tote is perfect for a cosy date, a catch-up with friends, or a relaxed afternoon with family.

Available for 2 or 4 people:
2 People — AED 100
4 People — AED 150

Please reserve your picnic tote in advance so we can have it freshly prepared and ready for you when you arrive.

22/07/2026

Join us for a special poetry gathering featuring UAE-based poets Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Ali Al Balooshi, Amandeep Ahuja, Asma Al Jailani, Chandrama Deshmukh, and Maryam Al Shawab. This poetry reading will take place during Kutubna’s Indoor Picnic Day. Please bring your picnic blanket and a plant or two or reserve a blanket through our site. The event is free but reservations help us plan ahead.

Kutubna Cultural Center is located at Madina Avenues in Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai. Our website is at kutubna.ae and you can find our upcoming events by going to the menu and clicking on What’s On—or DM us for a direct link to this event’s page.

Featured poets:
Asma A.J
Maryam Al Shawab
Ali AlBlooshi
Ahmed BinSulayem
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐮𝐤𝐡 ✨
Amandeep Ahuja
The Dreamwork Collective

20/07/2026

Join us for an afternoon of poetry at Kutubna’s indoor picnic on July 26, 2026, from 11:30 am to 2 pm. The reading will be followed by an open mic and you are welcome to read a poem, sing a song, or play an instrument.

Kids can enjoy a storytime at the center, sensory play, or an art activity at the same time.

Save your spot on our website (click on What’s On on the menu at kutubna.ae then select Upcoming Events) or DM us for a direct link.

16/07/2026

We’re looking for brilliant people to join us as interns this fall. Preference is given to those who can be at the center in person in Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai.

Fall internship areas:

- Business development
- Business administration
- Sales
- Marketing
- Accounting
- Hospitality
- Relationship management
- Customer service
- Editing
- Writing

Interested? Send your resume and letter of interest to [email protected]

14/07/2026

Come along to a family friendly book event to celebrate the launch of Matar and the Stolen Gem by Meera Al Marzooqi! Join Matar on an adventure in the underwater world: Matar and his toy fish Lofi enter the Sea World together and must find a special Sea Gem to save the underwater kingdom from a monster. Will they succeed and what will they learn along the way?

Meera Al Marzooqi is an electrical engineer and children’s book author whose love for writing began at the age of nine, when she wrote her first book for a school project. Though her career path led her into engineering, she always kept her creative side alive. After becoming a mother to her son, Matar, Meera was inspired to return to writing and share her stories with other children and families. Her books are written with warmth and imagination, encouraging kindness, curiosity, and joy in every young reader.

This event is free and open to the public. Please claim your tickets on kutubna.ae (select What’s On from the menu or DM us for a direct link).

Address

Madina Avenues
Dubai

Website

http://www.kutubna.ae/

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