So, as you know, Art Dubai was originally planned to run from 17 to 19 April 2026, but due to circumstances, it has been rescheduled. The new dates are 15–17 May. And just recently, the fair announced the first details of this updated edition.

So, let’s take a closer look.

This year marks the 20th edition of Art Dubai, which will take place in a modified format at Madinat Jumeirah. Over the past two decades, the fair has grown alongside the city itself, becoming one of the key platforms shaping the region’s cultural landscape.

That connection is something Executive Director Benedetta Ghione directly points to. In her words, “Art Dubai’s story is Dubai’s story,” emphasising how closely the fair’s development is tied to the rapid transformation of the city. She also notes that this special edition — shaped by current circumstances — may not look as originally intended for a 20th anniversary. Still, the core of the fair remains intact: its galleries, its programmes, and the long-standing partnerships that have supported it over the years continue to define what makes Art Dubai distinct.

Rather than expanding, this edition feels more concentrated, focusing on the elements that have sustained the fair from the beginning: strong regional ties, independence, and a consistent dialogue between local and global practices.

The fair will bring together over 75 presentations across galleries, institutions, and partners — many of them long-time contributors to the region’s art scene.

At the centre of it all are more than 45 gallery presentations, spanning contemporary, modern, and digital practices. Around 60% of the participants come from the region, which says a lot about how strongly the fair is rooted locally, even as it keeps an international outlook.

The gallery list reflects that balance quite clearly. On the international side, names like Perrotin and Galleria Continua bring their typically global footprint, joined by galleries such as Galerie Frank Elbaz, Pedro Cera and Waddington Custot, all of which have maintained steady connections with the region.

At the same time, Dubai-based galleries form a substantial core of the fair, including Carbon 12, The Third Line, Lawrie Shabibi, Leila Heller Gallery and Gallery Isabelle — spaces that have grown alongside the fair and helped define the city’s commercial art scene.

Beyond Dubai, the regional presence is equally strong, with galleries such as Athr, Hafez Gallery, Ayyam Gallery, Saleh Barakat Gallery and Agial Art Gallery, alongside initiatives like Zawyeh Gallery. Together, they reflect the depth and diversity of practices across the Middle East and beyond.

There is also a noticeable presence of younger or more experimental spaces — from Art Fungible to Iregular and Nika Project Space — pointing to Art Dubai’s continued interest in digital, cross-disciplinary, and less conventional formats.

Altogether, the selection feels less like a “greatest hits” line-up and more like a snapshot of an ecosystem: established names, long-term regional players, and newer voices all sharing the same platform.

Alongside the gallery presentations, this edition expands into a wider programme of exhibitions, installations, performances, screenings, and daily talks spread across the site.

Among the key projects is Made Forward, a major presentation from the Dubai Collection, alongside the 20th edition of the Global Art Forum, commissioned by Shumon Basar. The programme also includes a presentation of modern Arab art from the Barjeel Art Foundation, as well as a performance-led collaboration with the Sharjah Art Foundation.

Across the fair, a series of large-scale installations and newly commissioned works will be integrated into the space, featuring artists such as Khalid Al Banna, Hashel Al Lamki, Rashid Bin Shabib, Ahmed Bin Shabib, Rami Farook, Kevork Mourad, Yaw Owusu, Neda Razavipour and Sudarshan Shetty.

Moving image also plays a role this year, with a programme co-curated with Alserkal Avenue and presented across multiple venues. Additional collaborations include partnerships with Art Jameel and the National Pavilion UAE, among others.

This edition feels very much shaped by the realities of the current art market. It brings together international galleries that have been working in the region for decades alongside those that have helped build its cultural infrastructure, while also making space for a number of first-time participants — both regional and international.

At the same time, there is a clear emphasis on Dubai-based galleries that have grown together with the fair, reinforcing the idea that Art Dubai is not just a visiting platform, but something embedded in the city’s own ecosystem.

One of the more significant changes is the introduction of a new risk-sharing model. Instead of fixed booth fees, galleries will pay based on their commercial success during the fair. It is a notable shift — and a fairly direct response to the financial pressures many galleries are currently facing — suggesting a more flexible, and arguably more cautious, approach to participation.

More broadly, the fair continues to position itself as closely tied to the city’s wider cultural infrastructure, working through long-term partnerships with public institutions, private organisations, and cultural initiatives across the UAE.