The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre has expanded its events programme with the launch of an Art and Culture Season that features a mix of music, theatre and visual arts, according to multiple local reports published this week. The season opened with a concert by Egyptian singer Rami Sabry and will continue with appearances by Saber Rebai on October 9, Tamer Ashour and Elissa on November 13. It also includes the return of the Muscat Art exhibition scheduled for October 28 to 30 and the Kuwaiti play Engineer of Public Taste. This development positions the centre to draw wider audiences to Muscat.
According to the centre’s event listings, additional concerts and performances will be announced in the coming weeks to sustain momentum throughout the season. The initiative seeks to attract both domestic audiences and tourists by offering diverse cultural experiences alongside the centre’s regular conference and exhibition schedule. Saeed bin Salim Al Shanfari, CEO of OCEC, told reporters that the season would provide a range of experiences while enhancing Muscat and Oman’s appeal as a destination that blends business with culture and entertainment.
Al Shanfari added that leisure tourism complements business tourism, with events like concerts and exhibitions generating spending on accommodation, transport, dining, shopping and other services. Oman Observer data from earlier this year places the centre’s 2025 economic contribution at nearly 15 million Omani rials from hosting over 250 events that drew 1.9 million visitors. Those cultural and artistic events specifically attracted more than 11,000 attendees and supported over 100 small and medium-sized enterprises.
The venue had welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors in 2023 across 230 events, representing a 62 percent increase from 2022, according to historical records published by the Oman Observer. This growth trajectory has continued as OCEC incorporates more entertainment formats into its calendar. The new season builds on the centre’s established pattern of mixing business gatherings with public cultural activities.
OCEC works throughout the year to attract a variety of events that support Muscat’s standing on the regional and international events map, according to statements from the centre. The Art and Culture Season brings together music, visual arts, theatre and live entertainment in a cohesive programme. The centre has signalled that this forms part of plans for a broader programme of cultural and entertainment events in the months ahead.
