The first week of Dubai Art Season has prompted an “exceptional response” and the annual event puts the emirate on the global cultural map, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed said on Saturday. In its fifth year, the season includes events such as Art Dubai, Dubai Canvas, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and SIKKA Art Fair and launched in the last week of February Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage. On Saturday, Sheikha Latifa, who is vice chairman of Dubai Culture, said the two-month season celebrates the emirate’s “unique creative spirit that has fostered new ideas and innovations in every sphere of life.” She said, "Dubai Art Season serves to support the country’s arts, literature and heritage scenes by fostering home-grown talent, and encouraging the growth of its thriving cultural and creative communities." Upcoming events include Art Week, held from March 17 to 24 and headlined by the eighth Sikka Art fair at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. Art Dubai, the region’s largest international art fair, will be held from March 20 for four days. Sikka, the contemporary, artist-led fair for emerging Emirati, UAE-based and GCC talents, will feature over 40 artworks across a variety of indoor and outdoor exhibitions, art installations, workshops, films, music and performing arts. Dubai Art Season will run throughout March and April.