- When
- 19–22 November 2026
- Where
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
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From 19 to 22 November, Abu Dhabi hosts the first Frieze Abu Dhabi, a new art fair from the international Frieze network, which also runs fairs in London, New York, Los Angeles and Seoul. It is the first Frieze fair in the Middle East, held with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. The organisers announce more than 80 galleries from over 35 countries. The fair director is Dyala Nusseibeh.
When: 19 November is an invitation-only preview day; 20–22 November are open to all, 14:00–21:00 local time.
Where: Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat cultural centre on Saadiyat Island.
Tickets: on the fair website. Multi-day passes for the three public days and single-entry tickets for a chosen day and time are available, with a discount for visitors aged 12–25. Early-bird tickets are sold out and the site does not list prices. Re-entry on a single-entry ticket is not allowed; last entry is at 20:30.
What’s on
The main Galleries section covers art from the mid-20th century to today. Participants include international galleries Gagosian, Pace, Thaddaeus Ropac, Perrotin, Galleria Continua and Victoria Miro, as well as regional ones: Athr and Hafez from Saudi Arabia, Lawrie Shabibi, The Third Line and Carbon 12 from the UAE, and Saleh Barakat Gallery from Lebanon.
In Focus, young galleries present solo artist projects. Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi, curated by Marika Sardar, shows art from antiquity to the early 20th century; the theme of its first edition is the Indian Ocean. Global Futures, curated by Tarini Malik, is devoted to artists who work with the history of the region.
The inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award went to Dala Nasser, who will present the installation “Qubbat Duris”. From 16 November to 16 December, Frieze Sculpture is on view at Mamsha Beach on Saadiyat Island, with works by Zeinab Alhashemi, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Imran Qureshi and Kamran Samimi. A three-day talks programme brings together artists, curators and museum directors.
