Sip, Paint & Play: Vida Emirates Hills and Portraet Art Gallery Present the Most Inventive Art Night in Dubai
Picture this: The lights dim slightly. Soft jazz lingers in the air. Your canvas waits. The theme for the night is Brushes and Betrayal, and your role is the Shadow Broker. As others brush shapes, you cast your vote to eliminate one painting or save another. You sip, laugh, debate technique, sip again. By the end of two hours, your painting may be rough, imperfect, messy, even absurd, but it is yours. And you have just spent a Tuesday night making something, meeting someone, letting yourself play.
Vida Emirates Hills has introduced a new cultural experience that takes art out of the gallery and places it directly in your hands. Portræt Soirée: Sip & Paint has only just launched, but it is already becoming a Tuesday night to look forward to. Too often, evenings slip into routine, whether it is dinner at the usual spot, a crowded gym session, a quiet night at home, or simply counting down the days to Friday. This escape offers something different, blending creativity with relaxation and giving you the chance to break up the week in a way that feels fresh and rewarding. There is no pressure to perform and no pretentiousness to navigate. The atmosphere invites you to unwind, experiment, and enjoy yourself. For some the appeal is playful social energy, for others it is a calming way to reset. Either way, it turns an ordinary Tuesday into a night worth remembering.
Every Tuesday evening between 7:00pm and 9:30pm, Vida Emirates Hills transforms part of its Origins Restaurant into a creative playground. Participants receive a full kit (canvas, brushes, palette, paint, apron), two drinks, light bites, and a chance to take home your masterpiece (or at least something you will laugh about). The experience is hosted in partnership with Portraet Art Gallery, which champions emerging talent and community outreach. The evening takes painting off the pedestal and places it within reach of everyone, free from pretense, free from pressure, and filled with the simple joy of creating in good company.
Images: Canvas and aprons awaiting guests at Origins
What to Expect
Tables are set with canvases, brushes, and palettes alongside drinks and sharing plates. The atmosphere is relaxed but alive, with some guests leaning into lively conversation while others quietly focus on their colours, letting the act of painting become almost meditative. Strangers who arrive not knowing one another can find common ground through shared laughter and brushstrokes. Every week a new theme will keep the energy fresh, from playful games to unexpected twists that spark creativity. Led by Portraet Art Gallery, the evening takes painting off the pedestal and places it within reach of everyone, free from pretense, free from pressure and filled with the simple joy of creating in good company.
Image: Guests chatting painting away
Beyond wine and brushes, each week offers a surprise theme and game mechanics that turn creation into interaction. The recent “Brushes and Betrayal” edition assigned roles like Shadow Broker, letting participants vote each other out or save someone based on their painted work. Imagine a live art and party hybrid, where your canvas becomes part of the entertainment.
Images: Discussing ideas and Sketching the outline before the painting begins
Why This Matters
Over the past decade Dubai’s art scene has grown into a thriving ecosystem of galleries, public projects, and cultural initiatives with creative hubs such as Alserkal and programs like the ArtMap driving culture deeper into the city. Yet obtaining a gallery opening, attending a museum exhibit or navigating the high-end circuit can still feel intimidating for many, and it can feel distant for those who are not already part of it. Portræt Soirée bridges that gap. It welcomes emerging talent and brushstroke geniuses, but just as importantly it invites anyone who simply wants to pick up a brush, share a drink, and enjoy the freedom of painting without pressure.
Images: Artists hard at work
Tuesday evenings in Dubai often fall into routine, whether it is dinner at the usual spot, a crowded gym session, a quiet night at home, or simply counting down the days to Friday night. Portræt Soirée changes that. This midweek escape blends creativity with relaxation, giving you the chance to break up the week in a way that feels fresh and rewarding. There is no pressure to perform and no pretentiousness to navigate; instead, the atmosphere encourages you to unwind, experiment, and enjoy yourself. For some the appeal is playful social energy, for others it is a calming way to reset. Either way, it brings something new to a night that usually offers a mundane routine.
Images: Some examples of finished paintings
Other themes are in the works. A Detective night where you paint your clues. A Five Senses evening where you paint by smell, touch, or sound cues. A Pet Portrait twist where you bring your pet or let your pet inspire the night. Some nights push boundaries further with wine or coffee as paint, unconventional materials, or mix and match media. Creativity is the only rule.
What is compelling is that you do not need to be an artist. Whether you have never held a brush or you live and breathe pigment, the format allows freedom. The themes create fun structure. The art is yours.
The Reason This Resonates
Escape and novelty: Tuesday evenings in Dubai can be predictable. This is fresh.
Social energy and storytelling: As well as your artpiece, you leave with stories, friendly rivalries, and ‘good time’ ‘good vibe’ memories.
Community: The partnership with Portraet Gallery means your evening helps shine light on new artist and be part of a community if like minded people
Inclusive culture: No pressure or expectations, just fun, experimentation, and a bit of playful competition.
Images: An evening of good times, good people, good drinks and painting
Practical Details
When: Every Tuesday, 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Origins Restaurant, Vida Emirates Hills
Price: AED 275 per person (includes materials, two drinks, bites)
What to bring: Yourself, your mood, open mind
What you leave with: Your painting, stories, a new memory
BOOK NOW: https://www.vidahotels.com/en/offers/sip-paint-portraet-soiree-a-night-of-expression/
