Art Dubai Unveils Key Details for 2026 Special Edition at Madinat Jumeirah

DUBAI, UAE – Art Dubai has announced the preliminary details of its 2026 special edition, set to take place at Madinat Jumeirah from 15 to 17 May 2026, with a VIP preview scheduled for 14 May, reinforcing Dubai’s standing as a leading regional and global centre for culture, arts and the creative economy.

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, the upcoming edition marks a significant milestone for the fair as it enters its third decade. For 20 years, Art Dubai has played a defining role in championing artists, galleries and collectors whose work and ideas have contributed to the development of the region’s cultural landscape.

Taking place in a modified format, the 2026 special edition will bring together a focused programme at Madinat Jumeirah that highlights the galleries, institutions and creative communities that have helped shape the region’s art scene and market. The fair will feature more than 75 presentations from commercial galleries, institutional participants and partners.

Dubai Culture is the Strategic Partner of the special edition, which is presented in partnership with A.R.M. Holding and a range of leading cultural institutions, reflecting the growing collaboration between the public and private sectors in supporting Dubai’s creative economy. Madinat Jumeirah continues to serve as the home of Art Dubai.

A platform shaped by the city and the region

The 2026 programme is expected to build on Art Dubai’s longstanding strengths, including its independent identity, strong local and regional roots and ability to connect diverse global perspectives. Organisers said the special edition has been designed to reflect both the fair’s history and the present moment, while continuing to position Dubai at the centre of conversations around culture, creativity and international exchange.

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.”

Strong regional representation with international reach

This special edition will feature more than 45 gallery presentations, spanning contemporary, modern and digital practices, with around 60 percent of participating galleries drawn from the region. The programme is intended to reflect Art Dubai’s continued commitment to bridging regional artistic practices with wider global contexts, while also underlining Dubai’s role as the commercial art hub of the Middle East.

Participants include international galleries with long-standing ties to the region, alongside galleries that have played a central role in shaping its cultural landscape. The edition will also spotlight Dubai-based galleries that have grown in parallel with the fair and welcome several first-time exhibitors, including regional and international newcomers.

Dunja Gottweis, Director, Art Dubai Fair, noted: “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.”

New model aims to support galleries during market challenges

Responding to the pressures currently facing many galleries, Art Dubai said the 2026 edition will introduce an innovative risk-sharing model, under which booth costs will be payable based on success. The approach is intended to provide added flexibility for participants while reinforcing the fair’s position as a platform that supports the long-term sustainability of the art ecosystem.

Through its partnerships with government entities, private sector organisations and cultural institutions, Art Dubai said it remains deeply embedded in the city’s wider creative landscape and committed to initiatives that reflect Dubai’s cultural ambitions and diverse communities.

Expanded programme of exhibitions, installations and talks

Alongside the gallery presentations, the special edition will present a broad programme of exhibitions, large-scale installations, commissions, performances, screenings and daily talks.

Programme highlights will 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 Global Art Forum, commissioned by Shumon Basar; and an exhibition of modern Arab art from the Barjeel Art Foundation.

The fair will also feature a performance-led programme with the Sharjah Art Foundation, as well as a series of large-scale installations, new commissions and site-responsive works integrated across the event. Featured artists include Khalid Al Banna, Hashel Al Lamki, Kevork Murad, Yaw Owusu, Neda Razivipour, Rashid and Ahmed Bin Shabib, and Surdashan Shetty.

A moving image programme co-curated with Alserkal Avenue will be screened at both venues, while further collaborations will include Art Jameel, National Pavilion UAE – La Biennale di Venezia, the Ministry of Culture and House of Arts. Daily talks, live activations and informal gathering moments will also form part of the wider visitor experience.

Alexie Glass-Kantor, Executive Director, Curatorial, Art Dubai Group, added: “‘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.”

With its 2026 special edition, Art Dubai is once again placing the city’s cultural ecosystem in the spotlight, bringing together regional depth, international participation and institutional collaboration in a format that reflects both the maturity and continued evolution of Dubai’s creative sector.