Under the esteemed patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the Abu Dhabi Art Fair 2025 will return from 19 to 23 November for its 17th edition. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), this year’s fair will host more than 140 galleries from 52 cities across 37 countries.
The 2025 edition highlights vibrant art scenes from Nigeria, the Gulf region, and Türkiye, while welcoming first-time participants from Algeria, Senegal, the Netherlands, Peru and Tanzania — underscoring the fair’s growing international influence.
Abu Dhabi’s Largest Art Fair
Since its launch in 2009, Abu Dhabi Art has become the region’s largest and most influential fair, attracting leading international galleries including Pace, Richard Saltoun Gallery, Mennour, Hanart TZ Gallery, and ATHR.
This year, new exhibitors such as Loft Art Gallery, RGR, Pedro Cera, and EQTNA Rare Books will join the line-up. The fair records a 40% increase in exhibitors compared to 2024, a clear reflection of Abu Dhabi’s rising profile in global art and collecting circles.
Leadership Insights
H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said:
“The upcoming edition of Abu Dhabi Art Fair promises to be the most ambitious yet, featuring a record number of galleries from around the world. Over the years, the fair has evolved into the region’s most influential platform for art and ideas, a cultural moment where the UAE’s pioneering spirit engages with the global art community. Each edition advances our mission to foster Abu Dhabi’s vibrant creative ecosystem, connecting artists, collectors, and audiences in a dialogue that transcends borders, encourages meaningful exchange, and sparks new possibilities.”
Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, added:
“This dynamic line-up of over 140 galleries from 37 countries reflects the UAE’s maturing art market, the growing collector base in Abu Dhabi and strong government-led investment in our creative and cultural industries driving unprecedented growth across the sector. Our curatorial focus continues to centre under-represented art histories and foster equity in global art narratives through the platform of the fair. From pioneers of the Peruvian Amazon, Venezuela and Brazil to modernists from Türkiye, artists from Nigeria’s Osogbo art movement, Khaleeji trailblazers, modern artists from North Africa and leading artists from China, this year’s fair resonates with the globally impactful, museum-led vision shaping Saadiyat Island’s cultural identity.”
Global Focus Sectors
Nigeria Spotlight
In collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, this section features seven pioneering galleries that showcase the dynamism of Nigeria’s contemporary art scene. As part of the Nigeria Everywhere initiative, the showcase strengthens Nigeria’s presence on the global art stage.
Participating galleries: SOTO Gallery, AMG Projects, kó, O’DA Gallery, 1897 Gallery, Windsor Gallery, Ishara Gallery, plus a special project with MADhouse by Tikera Africa.
Modern Türkiye
Curated by Doris Benhalegua Karako, this section presents rarely seen works by modern masters including:
- DG Art Gallery and Projects (Fahrelnissa Zeid)
- Art On Istanbul Gallery (Burhan Doğançay)
- BüroSarigedik (Gülsün Karamustafa and Cengiz Çekil)
The Gulf Region
Showcasing leading Khaleeji artists, with highlights from:
- Gallery Isabelle (Hassan Sharif, Mohammed Kazem, Alia Zaal)
- Wusum Gallery (Tarek Darwish)
- Hunna Art (Alymamah Rashed, Joud Fahmy, Zayn Qahtani)
- SAPAR Contemporary (Rashid Al-Khalifa)
- Iris Projects (Nasser Al Salem, Juma Al Haj, Shamsa Al Omaira)
- Hafez Gallery (Sami Al Marzoogi, Sara Alabdali, Raeda Ashour)
- Albareh Art Gallery (Nasser Al Yousif)
Collectors’ Salon and Aldar Partnership
The Collectors’ Salon, curated by Roxane Zand (former Deputy Chair, Sotheby’s Middle East), returns with notable participants such as Kent Antiques, Daniel Crouch Rare Books, INLIBRIS, Almine Rech, and Perrotin.
Strategic partner Aldar will also unveil Aldar Hall, a newly repurposed space at the entrance to Manarat Al Saadiyat. This venue will host exhibitors from the Gulf Focus and West Asia and North Africa (WANA) regions, along with two first-time participants from West Africa, including OH GALLERY (Senegal) and Galerie Farah Fakhri (Ivory Coast).
Full Exhibitor List
The fair features modern and contemporary galleries, special projects, focus sectors, and emerging platforms, with over 140 names confirmed.
The complete list is available on the Abu Dhabi Art website:
About Abu Dhabi Art:
bu Dhabi Art expands beyond the notion of a traditional art fair, in placing strong emphasis on a diverse public engagement programme, including art installations and exhibitions, talks, and events that take place in different locations throughout the year. The culmination of this year-long programme is the Abu Dhabi Art event in November, which provides an important sales platform for participating galleries whilst also offering these galleries an opportunity to showcase ambitious installations and site-specific works by their artists to a wide audience.
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.
By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism.
DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.
For more information about the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the destination, please visit: dct.gov.ae and visitabudhabi.ae
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