--- title: Ras Al Khaimah Art 2027 Festival — Lost in Translation description: International open call for the 2027 Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival themed 'Lost in Translation.' Free entry; prizes from AED 2,000–12,000 across photography, painting, sculpture, video, and film. url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/a4180f51-17ab-4ccb-9b7e-49bc3a07a96e type: program status: closed createdAt: "2026-05-28" updatedAt: "2026-09-30" programType: Festival/fair organization: Ras Al Khaimah Art organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/ras-al-khaimah-art deadline: "2026-06-05" location: Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates isOnline: false compensationRange: "Grand Jury Prize AED 12,000 + Trophy. Photo of the Year: AED 6,000 (1st) / AED 4,000 (2nd). Painting/Drawing of the Year: AED 6,000 (1st) / AED 4,000 (2nd). Sculpture/Installation of the Year: AED 6,000. Video Art of the Year: AED 6,000. Best Documentary Short Film: AED 6,000. Best Narrative Short Film: AED 6,000. Best Student Artwork: AED 2,000 (ages 6–12) / AED 2,000 (ages 11–19). All prizes include Trophy." disciplines: - photography - painting - drawing - sculpture - installation - video - film careerStages: - Emerging artist - Established --- # Ras Al Khaimah Art 2027 Festival — Lost in Translation **Hosted by:** Ras Al Khaimah Art **Type:** Festival/fair | **Location:** Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates | **Deadline:** June 5, 2026 ## About This Program > "Lost in Translation" Artists are invited to submit works responding to the 2027 Festival theme "Lost in Translation." Founded in 2013 by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, the Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival has grown from a modest gathering of 30 emerging local artists into the Emirate's leading art and cultural festival. Formerly known as the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, it has since evolved into Ras Al Khaimah Art—a dynamic creative platform that supports both local and international talents through its annual Festival, grants, masterclasses, workshops, and year-round programming. Set within the historic Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, the Festival serves as a distinctive space where global artistic practice meets Emirati cultural heritage. For the Ras Al Khaimah Art 2027 Festival, we invite you to submit your proposals around the theme of "Lost in Translation." Inspired by Sofia Coppola's iconic film Lost in Translation (2003), the festival takes "translation" as a central idea and metaphor. It is not only about language but also about emotions, culture, and the experience of being in a place where you do not fully belong. It is about the distance between people, quiet loneliness, and the deep human desire to transform and connect even when understanding seems incomplete. It becomes a framework for thinking about transformation and adaptation in today's world. Many people move between countries, cultures, and identities. They adjust to new environments, new expectations, and new ways of living. But what does this process demand emotionally? What does it mean to search for your place in a world that feels unfamiliar? When does adapting make you stronger, and when does it make you feel invisible? This exhibition invites artists to explore the experience of being "in between." In between languages, in between cultures, in between past and present versions of oneself. It encourages works that reflect miscommunication, emotional distance, or the quiet effort it takes to feel understood. Artists might think about migration, memory, belonging, or the tension between private identity and public role. They may explore how meaning changes when it moves from one context to another, or how spaces and landscapes can create either connection or isolation. Lost in Translation is about discovery. It suggests that moments of uncertainty can lead to deeper self-understanding. Through the experience of difference and adaptation, new forms of connection, strength, and identity can emerge. The open call welcomes artists and filmmakers from all nationalities and backgrounds, regardless of gender, religion, or geographic location. Applicants can apply under one category only: Emerging Artists, Established Artists, Filmmakers, or Students (ages 6–19). ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Career Stage:** Emerging artist, Established - **Geographic Eligibility:** International - **Disciplines:** photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, video, film - **Note:** Open to all nationalities and backgrounds regardless of gender, religion, or geographic location. Four categories (apply under one only): Emerging Artists (developing practice, beginning to exhibit professionally, including recent graduates); Established Artists (sustained practice, minimum 2 solo exhibitions in galleries/museums); Filmmakers (emerging, at least one short film publicly screened, narrative/documentary/animation); Students (K–12, ages 6–19). Works previously submitted to the Festival within the last 4 years are not eligible. AI-generated or AI-assisted work must be disclosed at submission. ### Additional Requirements Up to 2 related artworks per medium, in no more than 2 different mediums (maximum 4 artworks total). Artist statement (max 100 words) describing the work and its connection to the theme. Personal details, CV, and biography (max 200 words). Photography/Paintings/Drawings: image up to 2 MB, JPG/JPEG/PNG/PDF. Video Art: brief description, free-viewing link (YouTube, Vimeo, or equivalent), max 12 minutes; non-English video must include English subtitles. Sculpture/Installation: image of work, manual drawing or digital rendering, full technical details (materials, dimensions, weight, installation requirements). Sculptures must be suitable for outdoor display and withstand UAE climate conditions. ## Compensation & Benefits Grand Jury Prize AED 12,000 + Trophy. Photo of the Year: AED 6,000 (1st) / AED 4,000 (2nd). Painting/Drawing of the Year: AED 6,000 (1st) / AED 4,000 (2nd). Sculpture/Installation of the Year: AED 6,000. Video Art of the Year: AED 6,000. Best Documentary Short Film: AED 6,000. Best Narrative Short Film: AED 6,000. Best Student Artwork: AED 2,000 (ages 6–12) / AED 2,000 (ages 11–19). All prizes include Trophy. **Includes:** Prize ## Timeline - **Opens:** April 6, 2026 - **Deadline:** June 5, 2026 - **Program Start:** January 22, 2027 ## How to Apply Apply at: https://rakart.artcall.org/