Art Dubai\u2019s rescheduled 2026 incarnation has a basic shape as before \u2013 a fair with Contemporary, Modern and Digital gallery sections \u2013 but there are some significant changes. For a start, of course, there are many fewer commercial galleries involved: we count 51 rather than the 120 or so originally signed up.\u00a0Just about all the UAE galleries are there (24 of them, and there are only a couple of obvious absentees by comparison with the 2025 roster). And despite the obvious issues with air travel and insurance for people and artworks there are a smattering of Europeans too. In total nearly 20 countries are represented.<\/p>\n
Benedetta Ghione, Executive Director of the Art Dubai Group notes in the press release that \u201ccurrent 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\u201d. She also pointed out that Art Dubai has always been more than your usual art fair \u2013 it\u2019s also been a flagship and a support system for the cultural scene here. So \u201cthis special edition will demonstrate the resilience of the UAE\u2019s 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\u2019s story is Dubai\u2019s story, and producing this special edition would only be possible in Dubai \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, this time Art Dubai has more of a festival vibe, with a raft of non-commercial elements like installations, performances, screenings and its daily programme of talks and conversations \u2013 plus the always excellent Global Art Forum, which will be on the programme as usual. The installations and site-responsive artworks across the fair include some substantial names from the local ecosystem, with 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.<\/p>\n
There are also \u201cexpanded partnerships\u201d with local institutions to emphasise \u201cthe fair\u2019s role as a platform for collaboration and exchange\u201d. Those include unspecified collaborations with Art Jameel, the National Pavilion UAE, the Ministry of Culture, and Expo City\u2019s House of Arts \u2013 but also \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2013 works from the Barjeel Art Foundation\u2019s probably unparalleled collection of modern Arab art
\n\u2013 a performance programme with the Sharjah Art Foundation
\n\u2013 a programme of \u201cmoving image works\u201d (aka films?) co-curated with Alserkal Avenue and screened at both venues
\n\u2013 an exhibition from the Dubai Collection (privately owned works available for occasional loan for public exhibition \u2013 it\u2019s run by Art Dubai). Under the title Made Forward and exploring \u201chow societies construct sustain and carry themselves forward\u201d, this will have art from more than 20 private collections<\/p>\n
Art Dubai Special Edition runs from 15 to 17 May, with public access 4-9pm on Friday, 2-9pm on Saturday, and 12-6pm on Sunday (Thursday 14 May is the VIP-only day). Entry is free on public days, but you need to preregister here<\/a><\/strong> and you\u2019ll need the Art Dubai app<\/a><\/strong> too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"