Under the esteemed patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the Abu Dhabi Art Fair returns this year from 19 to 23 November for its 17th edition with over 140 galleries from 52 cities across 37 countries participating.
The 2025 edition highlights dynamic art scenes from Nigeria, the Gulf region, and Türkiye, whilst welcoming first-time participants from Algeria, Senegal, Netherlands, Peru and Tanzania, underscoring the fair’s growing global influence.
Since its launch in 2009, the fair has become the largest in the region, attracting leading international galleries such as Pace, Richard Saltoun Gallery, Mennour, Hanart TZ Gallery, and ATHR. This year they are joined by debut exhibitors such as Loft Art Gallery, RGR, Pedro Cera, and EQTNA Rare Books. The number of exhibitors has surged 40% compared to last year, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s rising stature in both institutional and private collecting circles.
H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, stated: “The upcoming edition of Abu Dhabi Art Fair promises to be the most ambitious yet, featuring a record number of galleries from around the world. Over the years, the fair has evolved into the region’s most influential platform for art and ideas, a cultural moment where the UAE’s pioneering spirit engages with the global art community. Each edition advances our mission to foster Abu Dhabi’s vibrant creative ecosystem, connecting artists, collectors, and audiences in a dialogue that transcends borders, encourages meaningful exchange, and sparks new possibilities.”
Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, stated: “This dynamic line-up of over 140 galleries from 37 countries reflects the UAE’s maturing art market, the growing collector base in Abu Dhabi and strong government-led investment in our creative and cultural industries driving unprecedented growth across the sector. Our curatorial focus continues to centre under-represented art histories and foster equity in global art narratives through the platform of the fair. From pioneers of the Peruvian Amazon, Venezuela and Brazil to modernists from Türkiye, artists from Nigeria’s Osogbo art movement, Khaleeji trailblazers, modern artists from North Africa and leading artists from China, this year’s fair resonates with the globally impactful, museum-led vision shaping Saadiyat Island’s cultural identity.”
Global Focus Sectors
This year’s fair features curated Focus sectors that amplify diverse art narratives:
Nigeria Spotlight: In collaboration with the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, this section spotlights seven pioneering galleries from Nigeria, showcasing the strength and dynamism of the country’s contemporary art scene. As one of Africa’s leading cultural hubs, Nigeria continues to shape global conversations through bold, narrative-driven works that explore identity, politics, history, and place. The Focus sector at Abu Dhabi Art forms part of the country’s Nigeria Everywhere initiative, which aims to increase global exposure of Nigerian creativity, particularly in new and emerging regions, by spotlighting the diversity and excellence of its cultural output.
Participating galleries will showcase a diverse range of emerging and established artists whose practices are grounded in local realities while engaging with global discourse. From mixed-media explorations to figurative painting and conceptual installations, the works reflect the innovation, depth, and urgency that define contemporary Nigerian art today. Participating galleries include SOTO Gallery, AMG Projects, returning exhibitor kó, O’DA Gallery, 1897 Gallery, Windsor Gallery, Ishara Gallery, and a special project with MADhouse by Tikera Africa.
Modern Türkiye: Curated by Doris Benhalegua Karako, this new focus section under the global focus sectors showcases rarely seen works by modern masters. Participating galleries include:
DG Art Gallery and Projects (featuring works by Fahrelnissa Zeid)
Art On Istanbul Gallery (spotlighting Burhan Doğançay)
BüroSarigedik (presenting Gülsün Karamustafa and Cengiz Çekil)
The Gulf Region: Galleries presenting leading Khaleeji artists include:
Gallery Isabelle (Hassan Sharif, Mohammed Kazem, and Alia Zaal)
Wusum Gallery (Tarek Darwish)
Hunna Art (Alymamah Rashed, Joud Fahmy, and Zayn Qahtani)
SAPAR Contemporary (Rashid Al-Khalifa)
Iris Projects (Nasser Al Salem, Juma Al Haj and Shamsa Al Omaira)
Hafez Gallery (Sami Al Marzoogi, Sara Alabdali and Raeda Ashour)
Albareh Art Gallery (Nasser Al Yousif)
Additionally, the Collectors’ Salon, curated by Roxane Zand (former Deputy Chair, Sotheby’s Middle East), returns with a strong lineup including Kent Antiques, Daniel Crouch Rare Books, INLIBRIS, Almine Rech, and Perrotin.
Aldar Returns as Partner and Launches Aldar Hall at Manarat Al Saadiyat
Aldar will return as a leading Partner for the fair and will unveil a newly repurposed space at the entrance to Manarat Al Saadiyat, Aldar Hall, to support the fair’s rapid expansion. This new space will host galleries participating in the Gulf Focus section, as well as those from across West Asia and North Africa (WANA). Aldar Hall will also feature two new participants from West Africa. Notable first-time exhibitors in Aldar Hall include Loft Art Gallery and Comptoir de Mines Galerie (Morocco), Yosr Ben Ammar Gallery (Tunisia) as well as OH GALLERY (Senegal) and Galerie Farah Fakhri (Ivory Coast) amongst others.
