Abu Dhabi Art

The 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art will take place from 19 to 23 November, as usual at Manarat al Saadiyat. The fair element has more than 140 galleries from 37 countries, by far the largest number to date – last year’s edition had 102 galleries. And it also means Abu Dhabi Art has overtaken local rival Art Dubai (the March edition of Art Dubai had around 120, about the same as in 2024).

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chair of DCT Abu Dhabi, described the fair as “the region’s most influential platform for art and ideas, a cultural moment where the UAE’s pioneering spirit engages with the global art community”. He may well be right; and as well as the record number of galleries, Abu Dhabi Art – which from next year will become Frieze Abu Dhabi as a result of a deal with the Frieze art fairs group – continues to promote what its director Dyala Nusseibeh calls “under-represented art histories … From pioneers of the Peruvian Amazon, Venezuela and Brazil to modernists from Türkiye, artists from Nigeria’s Osogbo art movement, Khaleeji trailblazers, modern artists from North Africa and leading artists from China, this year’s fair resonates with the globally impactful, museum-led vision shaping Saadiyat Island’s cultural identity”.

The fair itself is organised into five principal sectors:

Modern & Contemporary: for established galleries (who have been operating for at least seven years) with curatorial framework for booth presentations. This is the main section, with 55 galleries showing.

Special Projects: up to three artist presentations by individual galleries who have been in business for at least three years – more than 50 of these.

Emerge: for artworks priced under $3,000 – seven participants this year.

Bidaya: for emerging galleries (operating for less than three years) who are first-time participants. There are three exhibitors.

Focus: galleries invited to participate with specific artists chosen by a guest curator. This where you will find the Collectors Salon for collectable non-art works; a section for Modern Türkiye, with three galleries showcasing rarely seen works by modern masters; a Nigeria Spotlight featuring seven galleries from the country; and the Gulf Region focus, with a good selection of local galleries

But as well as the conventional art fair, Abu Dhabi Art places a lot of emphasis on its public engagement programme – installations, commissions, exhibitions, talks and events throughout the year. Worth catching:

Beyond Emerging Artists This programme commissions new work from three emerging artists in the UAE. The 2025 edition is curated by Issam Kourbaj, who has been mentoring Alla Abdunabi, Salmah Almansoori and Maktoum Marwan Al Maktoum as the three participants this year.

Community Partners Exhibition Since 2018, Abu Dhabi Art has invited community partners to participate in the fair through thematic exhibitions that foster cultural dialogue and social impact. For 2025 ADMAF is collaborating with Studio Salasil, a future-focused curatorial studio, to transform the Community Partners exhibition into a vibrant platform for artistic and cultural dialogue.

Art + Tech Launched back in 2017, the Art + Tech programme at Abu Dhabi Art connects students from universities across the UAE with artists working at the intersection of creative expression and emerging technologies. This year’s programme is led by Ahmed Al Attar, an Emirati robotics engineer and founder of art and technology studio REALIITY. Drawing inspiration from traditional Sadu patterns, the project will be reimagining heritage through a kinetic projection installation that explores pseudo-randomness, cultural symbolism, and technological transformation.

And this year for the first time Abu Dhabi Art will officially feature digital art via its Digital Art Partner, reimagined – “a new initiative based in the UAE focused on driving adoption of technology and blockchain in the arts”. Its curated selection showcases seven artists with works built on technical and conceptual innovation, engaging critically with digital formats and pushing creative boundaries; alongside the exhibition, reimagined is hosting a program of talks and panels discussions with artists, curators, and art professionals.

Abu Dhabi Art is open daily from 2am to 9pm. Complimentary guided tours in both English and Arabic will be available.

Above: Leander Herzog, INFINITE GARDEN (in the Digital Art exhibition)