About SAMAA

About
the festival.

SAMAA is a new festival of South Asian music, poetry and culture in Dubai. Here is what it is, why we started it, and who is behind it.

Two days of concerts and conversations, with food, crafts and family time around them. That is SAMAA.

Why SAMAA

How the festival
started.

Dubai is home to one of the largest South Asian communities in the world, and to many others who love its music and poetry. The city already hosts plenty of concerts. We wanted to add a festival that brings several art forms together in one place, in a setting that families and friends can enjoy together.

The name comes from samaa, the Sufi tradition of listening to music and poetry with full attention. In Hindi and Urdu, samaa is also the mood of a moment, as in "samaa bandh gaya", when a performance holds the whole room.

The first edition takes place on 5 and 6 December 2026 at Zabeel Park, Dubai. It brings together Sufi music, qawwali, classical music, ghazal, musical storytelling and conversation, along with the Dastarkhwan food festival and the Artisan Bazaar.

SAMAA is presented by Dugasta Properties and organised and produced by Vertex Events and Culture Atlas. We plan to hold it every year and grow it with our audience, artists and partners.

Pushkin Agha & Satish Gupta, SAMAA

What We Care About

Five things that guide
the festival.

A few simple ideas behind every decision we make, from the line-up to the seating.

Great artists.

Every artist is chosen for the quality of their work, not just the size of their following.

A good evening out.

Good sound, comfortable seating, good food and room to move around. The basics, done well.

Room for everyone.

Families, first-time listeners and lifelong fans are all welcome. You do not need to know the music to enjoy it.

Respect for tradition.

Qawwali, classical music and ghazal are presented with care for where they come from and the artists who carry them.

Here to stay.

SAMAA is planned as an annual festival, built up edition by edition with the people who come to it.

The Team

Who is behind SAMAA.

SAMAA is curated by Pushkin Agha and Satish Gupta, and organised and produced by Vertex Events and Culture Atlas, with a team working across production, programming, design and hospitality. Dugasta Properties is the title partner of the first edition.

Stay in Touch

Join the Gathering.

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