Art Dubai to hold special edition of fair with modified format for 2026
- Last updated: April 21, 2026 | 08:58
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Art Dubai, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the preliminary list of participants for its 2026 special edition taking place at Madinat Jumeirah May 15-17, with a VIP preview on May 14. “For 20 years, Art Dubai has championed the artists, galleries and collectors whose voices, ideas and practices have built and sustained the region’s cultural landscape”, say fair organisers.
“This special edition reflects both that history and the present moment, bringing together a focused programme that builds on the fair’s core strengths of independence, deep local and regional roots and diverse global perspectives.”
Taking place in a modified format at Madinat Jumeirah, the 2026 programme foregrounds galleries, institutions and communities that have shaped the region’s art scene and market, featuring over 75 presentations from commercial galleries, institutional participants and partners.
Benedetta Ghione, Executive Director, Art Dubai Group, said: “Art Dubai has always been more than a conventional art fair, developing into an international platform for this region’s cultural scene as it matures. This special edition will demonstrate the resilience of the UAE’s cultural scene as well as the power of collaboration, bringing together galleries, artists and institutions at a time when that role of convening feels more important than ever. Art Dubai’s story is Dubai’s story, and producing this special edition would only be possible in Dubai, for an organisation that has grown hand-in-hand with the city, and with the support of our long-term partners. Current circumstances mean that this may not be what we had planned to mark our 20th edition; but the galleries and wider programmes represent what makes Art Dubai both unique and special.”
Dunja Gottweis, Director, Art Dubai Fair, said that “this special edition of Art Dubai brings together galleries from nearly 20 countries with strong representation from the region and internationally. This is testament to the unique role Art Dubai has played over two decades in supporting and sustaining Dubai as the centre of the region’s art market. Spanning contemporary, modern and digital practices, the gallery programme offers a breadth of perspectives, from emerging artists to more established names alongside significant historical presentations. What stands out is the strength and intent of these presentations: galleries are showing ambitious, considered work, reflecting both the depth of the region and its connections across a wider set of cultural contexts.”
Alexie Glass-Kantor, Executive Director, Curatorial, Art Dubai Group, said: “‘Things we do together’ has been a guiding thread in shaping the programme – thinking about how artists, galleries, institutions and audiences come into relationship across the fair. From large-scale installations to talks, performances and more informal moments of gathering, the focus is on creating an experience that feels connected and open. Developed in collaboration with leading cultural institutions across the UAE and the region, the programme brings different forms of practice into dialogue, and invites audiences to spend time, engage, and encounter work in unexpected ways.”
Reflecting the fair’s importance in the UAE’s cultural ecosystem and spanning a range of contemporary, modern and digital practices, the fair’s latest edition features over 45 gallery presentations, with around 60 per cent drawn from the region. Also included is a comprehensive programme of exhibitions, large-scale installations, commissions, performances and screenings, alongside a daily programme of talks and conversations. Participants include international galleries that have been committed to the region for decades alongside those that have been instrumental in shaping the region’s cultural landscape.
The edition spotlights the Dubai galleries that have grown alongside the fair and welcome several first-time exhibitors, including international and regional newcomers, into the Art Dubai family. Responding to the challenges that many galleries are currently facing, the edition marks the launch of an innovative risk-sharing model whereby galleries’ booth costs are payable, based on success.
Highlights include Made Forward, a major presentation from the Dubai Collection – the city’s first institutional collection of modern and contemporary art; the 20th edition of Art Dubai’s flagship Global Art Forum, commissioned by Shumon Basar; an exhibition of modern Arab art from the Barjeel Art Foundation, featuring highlights from its collection; a performance-led programme with the Sharjah Art Foundation; a programme of large-scale installations, new commissions and site-responsive artworks integrated across the fair, including works by Khalid Al Banna, Hashel Al Lamki, Rashid Bin Shabib and Ahmed Bin Shabib, Rami Farook, Kevork Mourad, Yaw Owusu, Neda Razavipour and Sudarshan Shetty; a programme of moving image works co-curated with Alserkal Avenue, screened at both venues.
There are also more collaborations with Art Jameel, National Pavilion UAE – La Biennale di Venezia, Ministry of Culture and House of Arts and daily talks, activations and live moments across the fair site.
Through its partnerships with government, the private sector and cultural partners, Art Dubai strives to become deeply embedded in the city’s creative ecology; it is committed to developing long-term initiatives that reflect Dubai’s cultural ambitions and diverse communities. Dubai Culture is the Strategic Partner of the forthcoming special edition, presented in partnership with A.R.M. Holding. A host of leading cultural institutions are also involved in a model that reflects the integration of roles between the public and private sectors in supporting the creative economy. Madinat Jumeirah is the home of Art Dubai.