The art calendar across the MENA region is getting thicker and cooler every single year, and at this point it feels almost competitive. Between headline moments like Art Basel in Doha and Desert X AlUla in Saudi Arabia, the region is confidently rewriting its own cultural geography. That said, the UAE is very clearly taking the lead, setting the pace with fairs, festivals and institutions that attract global attention while staying rooted in local scenes. Below are the biggest art events to keep firmly on your radar this year, not counting the countless exhibitions (to cover them all we created Sandy in the first place, so keep up with our weekly digests if you don't want to miss anything).

Clear your calendar. Or at least pretend you will.

January 24–25

There is something reassuring about starting the year at Quoz Arts Fest. Held at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai’s long-standing creative nerve centre, the festival has perfected the art of being lively without being overwhelming. Warehouses turn into performance stages, courtyards host installations, and the line between gallery-going and people-watching completely dissolves.

Now in its 14th edition, the festival brings together exhibitions, talks, live music, workshops and food pop ups that actually deserve your time. Many of the city’s most respected galleries take part, while the central installation, TAPE DUBAI, takes over Concrete with a site-specific intervention that anchors the programme. It is two days of art that feels lived-in, sociable and refreshingly unpretentious.

January 16–February 8

Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival has become one of the most quietly ambitious cultural events in the UAE. Founded in 2013 and reimagined in recent years as Ras Al Khaimah Art, the platform now extends well beyond the festival dates, supporting artists and creatives through year-round programmes.

The 2026 edition explores the theme Civilizations, inviting reflection on what societies leave behind once the dust settles. Expect visual art, performance, film and music woven into the historic fabric of the village, alongside a strong emphasis on dialogue and community engagement. It is thoughtful, slow-paced and deeply contextual, which makes it a welcome counterpoint to the busier moments of the season.

January 23–February 1

Dubai Culture’s flagship initiative, Sikka Art & Design Festival, returns for its 14th edition, once again transforming the Al Shindagha Historic District into a dense and lively cultural map. Narrow alleys, courtyards and heritage houses host works by emerging Emirati and GCC artists, creating a festival that feels both rooted and forward-looking.

Sikka is generous by design. Alongside exhibitions and installations, the programme includes poetry nights, live music, film screenings and workshops for all ages. Entry is free, the atmosphere is welcoming, and the emphasis on emerging voices makes it one of the most important platforms for regional talent working today.

January 29–February 4

Sharjah becomes a global meeting point for visual storytelling during Xposure International Photography Festival, which celebrates its tenth edition in 2026. Hosted at Aljada, the festival transforms nearly 50,000 square metres into a dense landscape of exhibitions, talks, screenings and industry events.

With more than 400 photographers, filmmakers and visual artists presenting work, Xposure is as much about learning as it is about looking. Portfolio reviews, masterclasses and panel discussions sit alongside large-scale exhibitions covering documentary, portraiture, conceptual and experimental practices. Whether you are a professional or simply obsessed with images, this is one of the most rewarding weeks on the calendar.

March 27–29

The annual March Meeting by Sharjah Art Foundation isn't about spectacle, and that is precisely the point. Over three days, artists, curators and practitioners gather for talks, presentations and performances that address pressing questions in contemporary art and cultural production.

It is rigorous, discursive and occasionally challenging, favouring depth over speed. Expect fewer photo opportunities and more moments that linger long after the sessions end. For those interested in where art is heading rather than what is selling, this is essential.

April 17–19 (Previews April 15–16)

The big one. Art Dubai turns 20 this year, which in art-fair years is basically a coming-of-age story with better lighting and more tote bags. Returning to Madinat Jumeirah (because where else would we collectively speed-walk between booths while pretending we are “just having a browse”), the fair brings together 100+ modern, contemporary and digital presentations from 35+ countries, and it does so with the quiet confidence of something that knows it sets the tone for the region.

What sets Art Dubai apart isn't just scale, but range. It can hold serious modernist histories and brand-new digital experiments in the same breath, without making either feel like an afterthought. The curatorial framing this year, Future, Past, Present, is a neat way of saying: bring your context, bring your curiosity, and prepare to have your timelines politely rearranged. Between the booths, the commissions and the talks, Art Dubai becomes less of a fair and more of a week-long cultural weather system, the kind that pulls everyone into its orbit whether they planned to attend or not.

Then there are the sections, each with its own personality (and each deserving a slightly different outfit). Bawwaba (gateway, indeed) has a habit of introducing you to artists you didn't know, with solo presentations. This year, it is curated by Amal Khalaf, and the focus is on practices that exist in the in-between: between disciplines, identities and geographies, which is also how most of us feel by day three. Art Dubai Digital, titled Myth of the Digital, pushes past the tired “digital versus contemporary” debate and leans into immersive, installation-led work, from AI-driven pieces to multisensory experiments that you will describe to your friends as “surprisingly moving” and to yourself as “I should have asked how this works”. Zamaniyyat, reconfigured around artists shaping modernisms across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, slows everything down in the best way, offering a reminder that the future is rarely built without a few very strong pasts.

April 23–26

If accessibility had a flagship event, it would be World Art Dubai. With thousands of artworks by hundreds of artists and galleries from around the world, the fair embraces scale and diversity without apology.

Live performances, workshops and talks create a festival-like atmosphere, while a wide range of price points makes collecting feel less intimidating. It is democratic, energetic and refreshingly open-ended, inviting everyone from seasoned collectors to curious first-timers.

November 2026 (TBA)

Design takes over the city during Dubai Design Week, centred around Dubai Design District and spilling outward through installations, talks and showcases. From Downtown Design to student exhibitions and experimental pavilions, the week highlights both regional innovation and international perspectives.

It is one of those rare moments when architecture, furniture, material research and speculative design all share the same spotlight, and the city feels particularly alive to ideas.

November 2026 (TBA)

The third edition of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial unfolds under the theme Architecture Otherwise, exploring how civic infrastructure can support collective futures. Spread across Sharjah through installations, exhibitions and residencies, the Triennial foregrounds practices rooted in West Asia, South Asia and Africa.

Research-driven and socially engaged, it asks what architecture can do beyond buildings, focusing on lived experience, collaboration and long-term impact.

November 2026

Launching at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Frieze Abu Dhabi marks a significant shift for the regional art scene. Building on the legacy of Abu Dhabi Art, the fair introduces Frieze’s global network and artist-led focus to the capital.

Anchored in Abu Dhabi’s institutional ecosystem and cultural vision, the inaugural edition promises strong international participation alongside a clear commitment to dialogue and discovery.

TBA

Expected to open in 2026, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is set to become the largest Guggenheim museum in the world. Designed by Frank Gehry, the building itself is a statement, with its intentionally disorienting forms and monumental scale.

After years of anticipation, its opening will mark a defining moment for Saadiyat Island and the wider cultural landscape of the UAE. Architectural spectacle meets institutional ambition, and yes, it will be crowded.

See you there. Or reading about it in Sandy, pretending you were.