The Middle East’s vibrant cultural scene kicks off in September, with art festivals in Turkey and Israel, design and art fairs in Lebanon, and theater and film festivals in Egypt. Here are the picks of Al-Monitor's Culture Pulse on the cultural events of the month.

Istanbul hosts three major cultural events: If you love art, Istanbul is the place to be in mid-September. The 15th edition of the Istanbul Biennial is staged at six venues on Sept. 16-Nov. 12 around the concept of “a good neighbor.” Curated this year by artist duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, the Istanbul Biennial brings together artworks by 55 artists from 32 countries, all addressing different notions of home, belonging and neighborhood.

On Sept. 14-17, the 12th edition of Contemporary Istanbul, a fair devoted to modern art, will take place at several different locations, including the Lutfi Kirdar Congress Center. This year’s highlights include a new media section called "Plugin," dedicated to new media art at the intersection of science and technology, and “The Fifth Element,” Istanbul’s first outdoor contemporary sculpture exhibition in a public park. Curated by Hasan Bulent Kahraman, the exhibition includes Turkish and international artists.

Ai Weiwei, the renowned artist and activist who displayed his works in Israel earlier this year, will hold his first exhibition in Turkey at Istanbul’s Sabanci Museum from Sept. 12 to Jan. 28.