From May 15 to 17, 2026, Art Dubai celebrates its 20th anniversary at Madinat Jumeirah in a reconfigured format. Pioneering galleries, Emirati institutions, and international figures come together around a streamlined program, faithful to the founding spirit of the fair.
Delayed from its usual spring dates, this special edition of Art Dubai will open with a VIP preview on May 14, 2026. It brings together around 45 commercial galleries, 60% of which are from the region, complemented by some 30 institutional programs. The fair is presented in partnership with ARM Holding; Dubai Culture is the strategic partner. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai.
“Art Dubai has always been more than a traditional art fair, evolving into an international platform for the regional cultural scene as it matured. This special edition will highlight the resilience of the Emirati ecosystem and the strength of the collective.”"That sums it up," says Benedetta Ghione, executive director of the Art Dubai group. She acknowledges that current circumstances have prevented them from maintaining the format initially planned for this 20th anniversary.
The curatorship is entrusted to Alexie Glass-Kantor, who has made the theme "Things we do together" the backbone of the programming. The project connects artists, galleries, institutions, and audiences in a continuous narrative, from monumental installations to more informal discussions. Developed in collaboration with leading institutions in the Emirates, it offers unexpected encounters between art forms: the fair transforms into a space for thought as much as a commercial platform.
Zawyeh Gallery Nabil Anani Silwad 2025 Acrylic Painting. Courtesy of the gallery
On the programming side, several highlights stand out. The Dubai Collection, the city's first institutional collection, presents "Made Forward," a panorama of the modern and contemporary art it has assembled. The 20th edition of the Global Art Forum, the fair's discursive spearhead, is curated by Shumon Basar around the theme "Before and After Everything." The Barjeel Art Foundation presents an exhibition dedicated to modern Arab art, while the Sharjah Art Foundation orchestrates a program focused on performance art.
Scattered throughout the site, large-scale commissions and installations bring together 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 moving image program, co-produced with Alserkal Avenue, is being shown at two locations. Other collaborations involve Art Jameel, the UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the UAE Ministry of Culture, and the House of Arts.
Aisha Alabbar Najat Makki The Scent of Memories 2023 Painting
The 2026 edition also marks the launch of a new economic model: galleries' stand fees are linked to the success of their participation, a way of responding to a market where many brands are experiencing a period of uncertainty. Combined with free public access, this measure reaffirms the fair's mission to bring together rather than filter.
Founded in 2007, Art Dubai has become the leading art fair in the Middle East in just two decades. Its programming, which blends modern, contemporary, and digital art, has established Dubai as a regional hub for the market. The special edition for spring 2026 builds on this identity, focusing on the key players who have shaped the ecosystem: pioneering galleries, early public institutions, and artists who have grown up alongside the region.
Art Dubai 2026, special edition
Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
From May 15 to 17, 2026 (preview by invitation only on May 14)
Dom Art Projects Sofya Skidan My AI lover sees me as a beautifully unstable dataset emotionally overfit, aesthetically optimized 2026 Video Still
