Organisers have announced that Art Dubai will return to Madinat Jumeirah and run from March 10 to 12.
Now in its 15th iteration, the three-day event will feature a range of presentations across three gallery sections: contemporary, modern and bawwaba ("gateway" in Arabic). Applications are now open.
“The fair will offer exciting new global perspectives and drive meaningful engagement with the rich cultural heritage and contemporary art practices of the region and across the globe, with a focus on Southeast and Central Asia, Africa, and Latin America,” posted Art Dubai on Instagram.
This year, the event has also confirmed the launch of a support scheme for new galleries which will focus on artistic practices from the Global South, with fees only paid upon sales. To be accepted, galleries need to be younger than five years and submit a unique proposal.
The deadline to apply is Sunday, October 17.
Highlights from Art Dubai 2021
Despite the pandemic, Art Dubai 2021 took place in March and returned as an in-person event with a few adjustments made to its typical format, such as an extended date and new location.
The event moved from its usual home of Madinat Jumeirah to Dubai International Financial Centre, where booths were housed in purpose-built tents under the Gate Avenue buildings.
The number of participating galleries also reduced from the typical 90 galleries to 50. The booths were also divided into three halls, with no obvious categories, unlike previous years’ curated sections.
Highlights from the event included an installation by Hussain Sharif, the brother of UAE contemporary art pioneer Hassan Sharif, a new Sculpture Park in the DIFC and the reveal of Rakhm, an installation by Fahad bin Naif, the winner of the 2020 Ithra Art Prize.
There was also Art Dubai's video art programme, with 10 screening stations set up across the venue to replace the performance programme that had been postponed.
Scroll through our gallery below to see more from Art Dubai 2021.
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'Les Priants' by Rachid Koraichi, in the Sculpture Park at Art Dubai 2021. The art fair ran from March 29 to April 3. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor looks at 'Brand 14' by Rashed Al Shashai, at Art Dubai 2021. Located under the Gate Building at DIFC Gate, the art fair showcased 50 galleries from 31 countries. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Allah, Allah, Allah', by Saddek Wasil, in the Sculpture Park, Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor takes a picture of 'Mirror 5' by Aref Montazeri, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Horizon,' by Costas Varotsos, in the Sculpture Park, Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A piece by Abdoulaye Konate, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Drawings by Marwan, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Mirror 5' by Aref Montazeri, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor studies 'Spiritualites Vierges' by Mohamed Arejdal, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor mimics a piece on display from the Galeria Albarran Bourdais, Madrid, Spain, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
An Art Dubai 2021 visitor looks at a pieces by Shaikha Al Mazrou. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
An art fair visitor views 'Portrait of Mame Kewe Aminata Lo' by Kehinde Wiley, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor takes a selfie in front of an artwork by Takashi Murakami, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'8 Acute Unequal Angles', by Bernard Venet, in the Sculpture Park, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Swiss Fog Magnified', by Bellprat Partner design studio, at Art Dubai 2021. The installation is inspired by The Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor views a piece by Jean-Michel Othoniel called 'Kitu-Otaniro', at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Dream 181' by Safwan Dahoul, with an art fair visitor in the foreground, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor takes a picture of artworks from the international Perrotin galleries, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A close up of 'Les Priants' by Rachid Koraichi, in the Sculpture Park, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A visitor looks at artworks on display from the Athr Gallery, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Idiosyncrasy' by Masoud Akhavanjam, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Maqam' by Rashed Al Shashai, in the Sculpture Park, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
'Throne' and 'Throne of the Stars' by Goncalo Mabunda, in the Sculpture Park, at Art Dubai 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National
