Where art met technology: Sharjah’s Pause & Play stage at World Stage Design 2025
Sharjah witnessed a significant cultural milestone on 10 November as the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA), unveiled the "Pause & Play" stage at the World Stage Design (WSD) 2025, in collaboration with NMK Electronics.
This unique experience marked the first time the global event was hosted in the Middle East. WSD 2025 gathered participants from more than 80 countries, featuring 140 exhibitors and over 1,200 attendees, a milestone moment for the UAE’s cultural landscape.
“Hosting World Stage Design 2025 was a truly significant milestone for Sharjah and for SPAA. It celebrates creativity across borders and showcases the UAE’s growing role as a hub for innovation and collaboration in the performing arts.”, said Jacqui George, Director of WSD 2025.
The Pause & Play stage embodied the Academy’s philosophy of reflection and renewal, a place to pause, rethink creative practice and then play, experiment, and perform. NMK provided a complete ecosystem of professional technology, integrating L-Acoustics speakers, Shure microphones, Allen & Heath mixers and Chauvet Professional lighting. The result was a fully immersive experience where design, sound and performance converged into a single fluid language.
“For SPAA, hosting WSD 2025 has been both an honour and a milestone event, it shows that world-class design, education and collaboration can thrive in this region. Pause & Play was our way of bringing the world together through performative arts expressions.”, said Diego Biagioni, Lead Tutor – Technical Skills (Sound) at SPAA.
For NMK Electronics, the project reflects a broader mission. “At NMK, we see our role as more than technology advocates, we are enablers of creative expression. Collaborations like this bring together technical innovation and artistic vision and we’re proud to support institutions like SPAA that are shaping the region’s creative future”, said Alex Kemanes, Regional Director, Middle East, at NMK Electronics.
Building on the success of "Pause & Play," NMK plans to further this partnership with SPAA through workshops, residencies, and collaborative programs designed to upskill students and strengthen the region’s creative ecosystem. This ongoing effort reaffirms the belief that technology can amplify creativity and ensure the Middle East’s creative community continues to thrive globally.
Mariam Khawer is a Dubai-based writer and PR professional whose work spans food, art, and travel across the region. When she isn’t chasing deadlines, she’s likely at a gallery opening, testing out a new restaurant, piecing together one of her mixed-media art projects or at home with her four cats, who keep her on her toes.
