For collectors, curators and art-focused travellers, it pays to plan ahead, as the art fair calendar is filled with major and emerging events that offer not only opportunities to experience and acquire standout works, but also insight into how art interacts with a region's culture and history.
From museum-scale exhibitions and market-defining fairs to high-profile venues where you want to see and be seen, here are 13 key art events to visit through the year.
1. Art Cairo: January 23 to 26
Held at the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum, Art Cairo is Egypt’s major contemporary art fair, bringing together local and regional galleries alongside a smaller international contingent. This is where you can check out Egyptian modern and contemporary art, with a particular focus on painting, sculpture and mixed media.
2. Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale: January 30 to April 23
Held in Saudi Arabia's historical Diriyah district on the outskirts of Riyadh, this is more of a large-scale curated exhibition than a commercial art fair. Artists from the kingdom and abroad present commissioned and deeply researched works and installations that are presented on a museum-level scale rather than gallery booths.
3. Art Basel Qatar: February 5 to 7
Art Basel will make its Middle East debut with an art fair in Doha, taking place at the cultural hub M7 and Doha Design District in Msheireb near the National Museum of Qatar. Staying true to Art Basel’s aesthetic, the Doha version will focus on modern and contemporary art, featuring galleries from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and beyond.
4. Art Dubai: April 17 to 19
Art Dubai is known for hosting modern and contemporary art from the Global South, including the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. Held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, the fair combines gallery presentations with cultural discussions and events. Its reputation has made it one of the region’s key meeting points for collectors, curators and institutions.
5. World Art Dubai: April 23 to 26
Where other UAE and regional fairs focus on established names and galleries, World Art Dubai sheds light on independent artists from the region. Hence, it is the ideal place for those looking for fresh narratives as well as serving as an accessible entry point for those beginning their art collection journey.
6. Venice Art Biennale: May 9 to November 22
Venice Art Biennale remains the world’s most influential international exhibition of contemporary art, staged across the Giardini, Arsenale and national pavilions throughout the city.
The biennale is distinguished as a curator-led event, with countries commissioning artists to represent them through large-scale, often experimental projects. Its extended run allows visitors to engage with new ideas and practices over time, making it a cornerstone of the global art calendar and a frequent reference point for debates and trends rippling through museums, galleries and fairs worldwide.
7. 3daysofdesign: June 10 to 12
The Danish capital of Copenhagen, much like Scandinavia, has made furniture into an art form. This annual festival is citywide, with brands, studios and designers exhibiting in open showrooms and installations. Also on the agenda are presentations looking at design trends in furniture making, lighting and materials, which are held in some of the city’s historical and modern buildings.
8. Art Basel: June 18 to 21
Considered the world’s leading fair, Art Basel in Switzerland welcomes influential modern and contemporary art galleries, and often puts on the most stylish exhibitions and presentation spaces. Alongside private sales, Art Basel is also the place to see the who’s who of the art world and celebrities renowned for their collections.
9. Sydney Contemporary: September 3 to 6
Sydney Contemporary is a giant on Australia’s art calendar, presenting galleries from Australia, New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The fair balances established names with emerging artists from the southern hemisphere, and has an idyllic waterfront setting to boot.
10. Frieze Abu Dhabi: November
Flagship fair Abu Dhabi Art will be rebranded as Frieze Abu Dhabi from 2026 under a partnership between the capital's Department of Culture and Tourism and international art fair organiser Frieze, with the event reported to be held in November.
Founded in London in 1991, Frieze is among the world’s most influential art fair brands. The collaboration is set to connect the UAE more directly with the global art market through Frieze’s international network, which includes major fairs in London, New York, Los Angeles and Seoul.
11. Art Cologne: November 5 to 8
Founded in 1967 and considered one of the world’s oldest art fairs, Art Cologne in Germany has maintained its reputation as a key platform for modern and contemporary art in Europe. The fair is particularly strong in post-war and modern art, alongside contemporary gallery presentations.
12. Paris Photo: November 12 to 15
Paris Photo is the world’s most important fair dedicated exclusively to photography, bringing together galleries, publishers and institutions specialising in historical and contemporary photographic work. Held at the Grand Palais, the fair spans vintage prints, modern masters and contemporary photography, alongside book publishing and curated exhibitions.
13. Art Basel Miami Beach: December 4 to 6
Art Basel at Miami Beach in the US is viewed as the traditional closer of the global art calendar, with a major international fair combining modern and contemporary gallery presentations. The fair is accompanied by an extensive network of satellite fairs and exhibitions across the city, including Design Miami, Aqua Art Miami and Ink Miami Art Fair, transforming it into one of the most influential art-market gatherings.
