Burj Khalifa hosts ISEA2026 projection on 7 November
Published on 11/07/2026 at 15:53 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSProjection and programme context
- Dubai Culture opened ISEA2026 at Burj Khalifa with a projection on 7 November 2026.
- The symposium continues through 15 November 2026 across Dubai and online.
- Burj Khalifa opened in 2010 with a height of 828 metres.
- The official ISEA2026 venue map lists Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai.
Burj Khalifa in Dubai featured a projection for ISEA2026 on 7 November 2026, bringing the symposium theme ELYAH to the facade of the world’s tallest building. The light display marked the opening of the ten-day digital and emerging arts programme, which continues across Dubai until 15 November 2026.
ISEA2026 opens with an ELYAH projection
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority organised the 31st International Symposium on Electronic/Emerging Art under the theme ELYAH: Constellating Place, Data and Identity. The opening-day projection used visual compositions inspired by stars, light and the symposium’s digital identity, connecting the building’s public facade with an event focused on art, science and technology.
The opening report also records an interactive ELYAH presentation at ARTE MUSEUM Dubai. ISEA2026 combines an in-person artistic programme across multiple Dubai venues with an online academic programme, and its schedule runs from 6 to 15 November 2026. The programme includes exhibitions, installations, performances, interactive experiences and discussions involving artists, researchers and specialists.
Burj Khalifa gives the digital arts programme a vertical canvas
Burj Khalifa opened on 4 January 2010 and rises 828 metres above Downtown Dubai. The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and its 163 floors contain offices, residences, hospitality spaces and observation decks, according to developer Emaar Properties.
The ISEA2026 projection relates directly to that architecture because it used the tower itself as an exhibition surface rather than placing the work inside an enclosed gallery. The symposium’s official venue map lists Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai alongside cultural and heritage locations elsewhere in the city.
ISEA2026 continues across Dubai until 15 November
The programme’s four themes are Celestial Dialogues, Charting Constellations, Eco-Tech Futures and Starlinked Worlds. They address relationships between place, memory, identity and emerging technologies, as well as environmental responsibility and the future of human interaction in the digital world.
Dubai Culture says the wider programme includes more than 100 artworks, 145 academic papers, more than 50 artist talks and panel discussions, and more than 10 workshops. These figures describe the full symposium rather than the single projection on the tower, which was the event’s opening visual presentation on 7 November 2026.
Visiting Burj Khalifa: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The ISEA2026 projection took place at Burj Khalifa on 7 November 2026, during the symposium’s programme across Dubai.
- The light show concerned the facade and did not announce a change to access for the observation decks. The wider in-person artistic programme continues until 15 November 2026.
- The official ISEA2026 venue map places Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai, a central district served by the Dubai Metro and linked to Dubai Mall.
- The tower rises 828 metres and contains 163 floors, so the projection can be viewed as an exterior presentation without treating it as an observation-deck event.
- Arabic is the official language of the United Arab Emirates, and the national currency is the UAE dirham.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Burj Khalifa on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Burj Khalifa
When did the ISEA2026 projection take place at Burj Khalifa?
The projection marked the symposium opening on 7 November 2026. ISEA2026 continues across Dubai until 15 November 2026.
What is Burj Khalifa?
Burj Khalifa is a 828-metre tower in Downtown Dubai that opened on 4 January 2010. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and has 163 floors.
Where is Burj Khalifa and how do you get there?
The tower is in Downtown Dubai, near Dubai Mall. The official ISEA2026 venue map lists Burj Khalifa as one of the symposium locations.
