We’re less than a week into the new year, but it’s already clear that 2026 could prove to be another landmark moment for the cultural scene – both regionally and globally.
Many of the most consequential shifts will unfold in the art world. Alongside the return of major fairs such as Art Cairo this month and Art Dubai, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in April, the region is also set to host a growing number of global players that will fix the art world’s gaze firmly on the Gulf.
In February, Art Basel Qatar – the first regional hosting of the global fair – will get under way in Doha. And in the final quarter of the year, Abu Dhabi Art will give way to Frieze Abu Dhabi, marking the arrival of another heavyweight international name.
While there has still been no official announcement regarding the opening of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the forthcoming institution is already exerting a gravitational pull on the region’s art scene – particularly in cementing the growing stature of Arab art on the global stage.
One artist almost certain to feature prominently in that story is Emirati Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim. While details of the Guggenheim’s permanent collection remain forthcoming, his immersive solo exhibition Two Clouds in the Night Sky is currently on view at the Cultural Foundation until February 22 – and is well worth seeing before it closes.
In film, there is no shortage of titles to add to your watch list. Awards season is now under way, with the Critics’ Choice Awards held at the weekend, the Golden Globes taking place this Sunday and a packed calendar of major ceremonies still to come. Find more here.
While several of the year’s most hyped films are still awaiting wide release, one of my favourites of 2025 – the South Korean No Other Choice – opens in UAE cinemas on Thursday. Don’t miss it.
The broader release schedule also promises major blockbusters, including Dune: Part Three, Toy Story 5 and more.
In publishing, stories of exile, identity and lives shaped by political rupture are set to reach an expanded readership, with a number of key Arabic novels scheduled for English translation.
It could also be a stand-out year for music. Releases already announced include long-awaited returns from K-pop veterans BTS, a country-leaning turn from Lana Del Rey and another dose of maximalist pop from Charli XCX. Find more here.
And in gaming, while Grand Theft Auto 6 may be the most anticipated title on the horizon, it is only one of several major releases expected this year.
We look forward to sharing in-depth coverage across all of these cultural shifts as the year unfolds.
421 Arts Campus reflects on decade of creativity in the UAE
In a photograph from his Abu Dhabi Archipelago series, Tarek Al-Ghoussein sits on top of a slide in an empty children’s playground, staring pensively at the residential compound that barely enters the frame. The image stutters between the peaceful and the haunting. It can be read as an achievement of solitude or an entanglement with loneliness.
The photograph was taken in 2015, when Al-Ghoussein set out to visit Abu Dhabi’s 215 islands. Instead of taking a journalistic approach to documenting the islands, most of which are uninhabited or rarely visited, the late photographer placed himself in the images, turning them into performative, autobiographical compositions.
In 2018, Al-Ghoussein presented works from Abu Dhabi Archipelago at 421 Arts Campus. The show was curated by ÂMunira Al Sayegh, who is now revisiting the series in Rays, Ripples, Residue, an exhibition at the institution dedicated to its 10th anniversary.
Find more here.
Prague's historic Savarin district to be reimagined by Czech-Lebanese firm
Known for its wealth of beautifully preserved architecture, Prague’s historic centre will soon include a new development that will transform an entire inner block into a public destination – blending restored Baroque buildings with contemporary design.
Reimagined by Czech-Lebanese architecture and development company Crestyl Group, the 15,000-square-metre Savarin project, just off Wenceslas Square, will open up a long-closed courtyard complex. At its heart are the 18th-century Savarin Palace, a sunny yellow Baroque riding hall and several other protected historic structures.
“It’s extremely rare to find such a unique and central site that hasn’t already been developed, particularly in a historic European city centre, which makes this project quite special,” Crestyl Group co-founder Omar Koleilat tells The National. “Although Savarin now sits in the middle of the city, it was originally the only Baroque palace outside the old city walls, separated by a ditch that later became Na Prikope Street.
“Baroque palaces typically had a first courtyard, a second courtyard, stables and then a riding hall, where horses could be exercised in winter,” he adds.
Find more here.
Dates for your diary
- Diana Ross and Seal at Saadiyat Nights, Abu Dhabi – January 9
- Hatim Ammor and Dounia Batma at Dubai Opera – January 14
- Tamer Hosny and Maha Ftouni at Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Sharjah – January 17
Other highlights
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