Art Dubai 2027

Art Dubai is the leading international art fair in the Middle East, and its 2027 edition takes place at Madinat Jumeirah from 9 to 11 April, after preview days on 7 and 8 April. Galleries from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and beyond show contemporary and modern art, while dedicated sections highlight emerging artists, 20th-century modernism and digital art.

The 2027 fair follows a special edition in 2026 and introduces a more flexible model for participating galleries.

About Art Dubai

Founded in 2007, Art Dubai has helped turn the city into a meeting point for artists, galleries, collectors and institutions from the Global South. It is known for presenting art from regions that are less visible at European and American fairs, and for curated sections that bring scholarship and discovery into the fair.

Beyond the fair, its Projects team works year-round with public and private partners on commissions, patronage programmes and cultural initiatives.

What to Expect

• Galleries: established galleries showing contemporary and modern work
• Zamaniyyat (Modern): solo and group exhibitions revisiting 20th-century modernism across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, curated by Dr. Sarah A. Rifky
• Bawwaba: a discovery platform of solo presentations by emerging artists, curated by Amal Khalaf
• Digital: the region's main platform for art and technology since 2022, curated by Nadine Khalil with Ulrich Schrauth
• Extended: large-scale and site-responsive works across the campus, curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor
• Talks and programmes with artists, curators and collectors

2027 Programme

The preview days are Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 April 2027, and the fair is open to the public from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 April. The full list of galleries and the talks programme are published on the official website ahead of the fair. During the same week, Dubai's galleries, especially in the Alserkal Avenue arts district, hold openings and events.

Who Is It For?

• Artists and students interested in art from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
• Digital artists and creative technologists, for the Digital section
• Art historians interested in non-Western modernism
• Collectors and curators from the region and abroad
• Visitors to Dubai in April

Tickets

Tickets are sold on the official website. The preview days are for invited guests and VIP ticket holders; public tickets cover 9 to 11 April. Prices for 2027 are published closer to the fair.

Tips for Artists and Students

For artists, Bawwaba is the section to see first. Its solo presentations show emerging artists chosen by a curator, often from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, and they give a clear picture of the ideas and materials shaping the region's art today.

Zamaniyyat is a lesson in art history that is rarely taught in Western schools: the modernist movements of Cairo, Beirut, Baghdad, Lahore and other cities. If you are a student, it is worth reading about a few of the artists before your visit.

Digital artists should spend time in the Digital section, which brings together galleries and artists working with code, AI, games and screen-based media. And keep an evening for Alserkal Avenue, where Dubai's contemporary galleries are clustered.

Planning Your Visit

The fair takes place in the halls and spaces of Madinat Jumeirah, and site-responsive works can appear in courtyards and outdoor areas as well as inside, so pick up a map at the entrance. A first visit takes about half a day. The talks programme is a good way to hear from artists and curators from the region. In the evenings, the city's galleries and art spaces hold openings, so plan a few days in Dubai if you can.

Things to Know

• Location: Madinat Jumeirah is a resort complex on the coast, near the Burj Al Arab; taxis and ride-hailing are the easiest way to reach it.
• Weather: April in Dubai is hot during the day; evenings at the fair are pleasant.
• Dress: smart casual; bring a layer for air-conditioned spaces.
• Plan your week: gallery openings in Alserkal Avenue usually take place in the same days.
• Dates: the 2026 fair moved, so confirm dates on the official site before booking travel.

Attend Art Dubai 2027

Planning a visit?

Visit Art Dubai

The gallery list, sections, programme and tickets are on the official Art Dubai website.

Looking for more to see? Browse all events, festivals and exhibitions on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 19, 2026