Design Miami, a major international event for collectable design, is to make Alserkal Avenue its first stop in the Middle East in early 2027 after agreeing to a multiyear partnership with the cultural organisation.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Design Miami has grown to include a Paris iteration and is known for presenting museum-quality 20th and 21st-century furniture, lighting and design objects from a select group of international galleries.
The Dubai launch, curated by Alserkal and Design Miami, will follow a similar format with a main fair, installations, commissions and a programme of industry talks, with a wider focus on designers and galleries from the Middle East. In the lead-up to the main event, a series of smaller activities is planned to raise awareness ahead of the 2027 event.
Vilma Jurkute, executive director of Alserkal, said the partnership builds on the organisation’s long involvement in Dubai’s cultural sector.
“Partnering with Design Miami to launch this Middle Eastern debut is a natural trajectory not only for us as institutions, but for the cultural landscape we are part of,” she said. “Alserkal has been instrumental in developing Mena’s arts ecosystem and its publics over the past 15 years, and we see design as the next chapter in that growth.
“This collaboration brings together two entities who have built their reputation and credibility globally to create and shape Design Miami in Dubai in the context of our city and region.”
Design Miami chief executive Jen Roberts said Dubai was an ideal location to expand the fair’s international imprint.
“Alserkal has played a crucial role in building and shaping an international creative district in Dubai,” she said. “Through this partnership, we see a great opportunity to exemplify our shared values and belief that design is a global language.
“Together, we can create a meaningful platform that celebrates both the region’s cultural heritage while highlighting its spirit of innovation and a platform to connect the global networks of collectors and designers we have built over the years.”
The Dubai launch comes as the region welcomes more international events into its cultural calendar. Art Basel Doha, an offshoot of the popular Swiss fair held each June in Basel, will open its first Middle East edition in the Qatari capital in February, while Abu Dhabi Art held its final event last month before it is replaced by Frieze Abu Dhabi in 2026, part of a global network of fairs that includes Frieze London and Frieze New York.
The final Abu Dhabi Art featured 140 galleries from 37 countries, with a focus on galleries from the Gulf, Turkey and Nigeria.
