A new partnership between Sotheby's and 10 of the UAE's top galleries is hoping to shine a light on emerging and established artists from across the region.
Through The Gallery Collective, the auction house will host a rotating calendar of exhibitions starting this month. Every six to eight weeks, a gallery from the UAE will take over the action house's space and make it their own.
“From the moment we opened our doors in the heart of the DIFC, our aim was to support the blossoming cultural ecosystem of the UAE, working side-by-side with the institutions and galleries who also make up the rich tapestry of the art scene here,” said Katia Nounou Boueiz, the deputy chairman of Sotheby’s Middle East.
“This series of boutique exhibitions will turn the spotlight onto emerging and established artists through the lens of our partner galleries, presenting them to collectors on the ground and through our international platform. It is a great opportunity to start to, or add to, a collection in an intimate setting, benefitting from a wealth of expertise.”
The galleries that will be working in partnership with Sotheby’s include Tabari Artspace, DIFC; Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery, Jumeirah; Efie Gallery in Al Khayat Avenue; and Iyad Qanazea Gallery, Abu Dhabi. From Alserkal Avenue, galleries such as Leila Heller Gallery, Aisha Alabbar Gallery, The Third Line, Lawrie Shabibi, Carbon 12 and Green Art Gallery will be participating.
The Gallery Collective will also incorporate a free series of talks and spotlighted artists whose works and themes are unique to the region.
The first exhibition in the series, with Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery, titled Jewels, opened on Tuesday, and will run until January 6. The works of New York artist Khalif Tahir Thompson, along with American artist Summer Wheat are on show.
Thompson’s large portraits have a bold colour palette and explore themes around identity and cultural heritage, while Wheat’s textured and vibrant paintings focusing on femininity and community through figurative compositions and a unique use of materials.
The next show, a collaborative exhibition between Tabari Artspace and The Third Line, is titled Hot Spots, and will take place from January 9 to March 10. The group exhibition will showcase a collective of artists from across the Middle East and North Africa working across mediums and disciplines.
The third scheduled show, with Lawrie Shabibi, is titled Form and Rhythm, and will run from March 12 to May 7. It will bring together an inter-generational group of artists, who all use geometric abstraction and the application of traditional crafts in their work. This includes Pakistani artist Hamra Abbas, Palestinian architect and artist Dima Srouji, Iranian-German artist Timo Nasseri, Lebanese artist Nabil Nahas and many more.
The Gallery Collective will run until 2026
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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