Culture Bites

Episode 118: Reflecting on Art Dubai ahead of 20th event

In this special live edition of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews look back at the past 20 years that shaped one of the UAE’s most significant fairs: Art Dubai.
In this episode, Art Dubai director Dunja Gottweis and Emirati artist and designer Azza Al Qubaisi join the hosts for a conversation about the evolution of the event, as well as the country’s flourishing art scene over the past two decades.
They talk about the legacy of the fair and its role in championing talent from the Middle East and wider Global South. They also address the challenges of organising this year’s event as regional tension rise. Originally planned to take place in April, Art Dubai is now set to open to the public on May 15.
Gottweis and Al Qubaisi offer advice for visitors on how to make the most of the fair, especially when short on time. And in true Culture Bites fashion, the guests and hosts share their recommendations of what not to miss this year.

Episode 117: Venice Biennale - Is art becoming inseparable from politics?

This week on Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss the Venice Biennale, exploring highlights from this year’s edition and the controversies surrounding the event.
The 61st exhibition, titled In Minor Keys, brings together pavilions from around the world. The hosts put the spotlight on the UAE’s Washwasha exhibition, which explores sound, memory and identity, as well as regional contributions including Syria’s participation and an independent Palestinian exhibition featuring traditional tatreez embroidery.
Enas and Farah also unpack the political tensions around the event, including backlash to a statement form jurors about excluding certain countries from prizes, which ultimately led to the jury’s resignation. The hosts talk about how cultural events are increasingly shaped by geopolitical debate.
They later highlight a viral moment from HBO show Hacks, where actress Hannah Einbinder appears wearing the shirt of a Palestinian football club based in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. They discuss how this casual scene in the show reflects a wider shift in mainstream cultural representation of Palestine.

Episode 116: From politics to pop - What stood out at Coachella this year?

This week on Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews unpack the biggest viral moments from this year’s Coachella festival.
Among the most talked-about performances was the set by The Strokes, which featured a montage referencing world leaders removed from power by US interventions. The political imagery sparked debate about the role of activism on the festival stage. The hosts also react to the return of Justin Bieber and the heart-warming moment he shared when he sang to long-time “Belieber” Billie Eilish on stage.
On the internet, another popular moment captured the hearts of people all over the world. In a short clip, Ramy Youssef teaches Elmo to speak Arabic on Sesame Street. In the video, which has received millions of views, the actor explains the meaning of phrases such as “salam alaykum” and “habibi” on the occasion of Arab American Heritage month.
Enas shares with Farah why content like this resonates so strongly with people who grew up in the West without seeing much representation of Arab language and culture on mainstream children’s television.

Episode 115: We can all do our bit to help independent artists and small businesses in the UAE

This week on Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews talk about the initiatives in the UAE working to support independent artists and small businesses.
While the conflict in the region has made it challenging for creators, start-up entrepreneurs and local brands to keep operating as normal, a number of community-led efforts are offering support.
For example, Alserkal Avenue in Dubai is inviting businesses in need of a space, also offering to help them with marketing and public programmes. Farah also tells Enas about food photographer John Marsland who has volunteered to give portrait sessions for independent restaurants and cafes.
The hosts spotlight some of the Arab acts performing at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California. The line-up features a range of styles, from Palestinian-American DJ Habibeats’ Arabic and house music blends to Tunisian-British DJ Hamdi’s club tracks. Enas sets the stage for an acoustic journey into each of their individual sounds ahead of the event starting this weekend.

Episode 114: What are microdramas and why are they generating billions?

In this episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews talk about the creative ways the entertainment industry is adapting to disruptions in the events calendar.
Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena is hosting a shopping clearance sale this week to keep the venue running. After some of its scheduled concerts were postponed due to the regional war, staff quickly pivoted from live events to retail, offering shoppers free entry and attractive prices. Enas and Farah talk about the increased community support for local brands and businesses in the UAE to help them overcome the uncertainty.
The hosts also discuss the microdrama phenomenon taking over social media platforms. These short-form, vertical video series became popular in China before spreading worldwide. Despite being low-budget productions featuring soapy plot lines and stereotypes, they are turning into a multibillion dollar industry.
Farah and Enas explore how media creation and consumption trends have evolved as doomscrolling and shorter attention spans influence what and where we watch.

Episode 113: Can the comedy of Saturday Night Live be universal?

This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews share their thoughts on the newly launched UK version of Saturday Night Live.
The first episode of the British adaptation of the sketch comedy show received better reviews than expected after its broadcast last weekend. Some of the most popular segments shared online feature veteran SNL cast member Tina Fey hosting the monologue and an impersonation of sir David Attenborough hosting a dinner party with celebrated British personalities. Farah tells Enas why she initially had low expectations for SNL UK but later changed her mind.
Elsewhere, on the internet a viral video of a group of pet dogs in China escaping their kidnappers has tugged at people’s heart strings all over the world. The hosts remember some of the most famous internet animals over the years and reflect on why we have become so invested in them from behind our screens.
Enas and Farah also give an extended list of recommendations this week. With rainy weather in the UAE keeping people indoors, they offer their top suggestions of what to read and watch at home.

Episode 112: Standout Oscar moments, wins and snubs

This week on Culture Bites, host Farah Andrews is joined by The National's culture reporter Faisal Al Zaabi to discuss their reactions to this year’s Oscars.
One Battle After Another took home the most awards at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. Michael B Jordan won Best Actor for his role in Sinners while Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for Hamnet.
Farah and Faisal share their thoughts on which wins and snubs were most deserved. They also talk about some of the bold statements on stage, such as Javier Bardem’s Handala badge and anti-war statement.
This week as Eid begins, the much anticipated film Project Hail Mary comes to UAE cinemas. But the big-screen adaptation of Andy Weir’s sci-fi novel is not the only version to receive glowing praise. The audiobook has also become a favourite, thanks to its atmospheric sound production and Ray Porter’s narration. The hosts share some of their other recommendations for audiobooks that are more captivating than the original texts.

Episode 111: What we learnt from the America’s Next Top Model documentary

This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and guest host Faisal Al Zaabi, The National's culture reporter, reflect on a new Netflix documentary revisiting the hit 2000s reality show America’s Next Top Model.
The docuseries, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, features interviews with former contestants, judges and host Tyra Banks. It has reignited debate about the fashion industry's standards at the time and the treatment of young models on the programme.
Enas and Faisal discuss criticism of the show's pursuit of ratings at the expense of contestants’ well-being, and question whether its creators have taken sufficient responsibility in the years since.
The hosts also share their favourite Ramadan cultural traditions as the holy month enters its second week. Faisal talks about Gargee’an, a popular Gulf celebration in which children dress in traditional clothing and go door-to-door collecting sweets and nuts. Enas recalls the mosaharaty, who would walk the streets at night, drumming and chanting to wake families up for suhoor.

Episode 110: What makes Ramadan TV culture so special in the Arab world?

In this episode of Culture Bites, The National’s music and culture journalist Saeed Saeed is back, this time joining Enas Refaei to discuss Ramadan TV.
Every year during the holy month, households across the Arab world tune in to watch the most popular comedies, dramas and talk shows of the season. Over time, networks – and now streaming platforms – have invested bigger budgets into Ramadan specials, as audiences spend more time watching television after iftar and late into the night.
Enas and Saeed discuss how this cultural phenomenon became so dominant in the region and share some of the shows they’re looking forward to watching. The hosts also react to a recent marketing campaign by Egypt’s Diwan Publishing to encourage young people to read and write in Arabic. Classics by authors like Naguib Mahfouz and Taha Hussein were printed entirely in Franco-Arabic, colloquially known as “Arabizi” – a way of writing Arabic words using English letters. The campaign was meant to prompt concern over the loss of Arabic language.
Enas and Saeed talk about Diwan’s previous project to make book covers more vibrant and attractive for the younger generation, and also how schools in the UAE are changing their rules to promote the Arabic language.

Episode 109: Who was the target audience for Bad Bunny’s half-time show?

This week on Culture Bites, Farah Andrews is joined by guest host Saeed Saeed, The National’s music and culture journalist.
After much acclaim and debate over Bad Bunny’s half-time Super Bowl show, the hosts reflect on its massive worldwide appeal. They discuss the powerful cultural messages layered through the Puerto Rican artist’s viral performance, described as a celebration of Latin American culture. But they also question whether the half-time performances have lost some of their magic as they evolve into polished productions made for a digital audience rather than fans at the venue. Farah and Saeed discuss what this means for audiences and why it can be impactful either way.
Meanwhile, one of the world’s most famous fossils is preparing to return to its home. Lucy, the 3.2 million-year-old fossil, currently on display at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, will be going back to Ethiopia next month.
Named after the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, she is considered to be one of the most widely recognised early human ancestors that helped transform scientific understanding of humanity’s origins. The hosts talk about the significance of her discovery and share their own existential contemplations of Lucy’s profound cultural impression.