Frieze Abu Dhabi unveils inaugural line up.
It will feature over 80 galleries.
Other programmes will also form part of Frieze Abu Dhabi.
Frieze Abu Dhabi will bring 84 galleries from 63 cities and 36 countries to Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Frieze Abu Dhabi has revealed the lineup for its inaugural edition, bringing one of the world’s leading contemporary art fairs to the UAE for the first time. Taking place from 19 to 22 November 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, it will bring together 84 galleries from 63 cities across 36 countries and regions, making its debut at Saadiyat Cultural District.
The main Galleries section will feature more than 60 galleries, spanning art from the mid-20th century to today. Regional representation includes UAE galleries Carbon 12, Lawrie Shabibi, The Third Line, Tabari Artspace and Iris Projects, alongside galleries from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Türkiye, Tunisia, Egypt and India. International names include Gagosian, Pace Gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac, Timothy Taylor, Victoria Miro, Perrotin, Galleria Continua, Vito Schnabel Gallery and Johyun Gallery, with particularly strong representation from London, Europe, Asia, the Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The fair will also spotlight established and emerging artists through solo and focused presentations. Regional figures including Ibrahim El Salahi, Farideh Lashai, Mounirah Mosly and Samir Rafi will appear alongside international artists such as Emily Kam Kngwarreye, Francesco Clemente and Sheila Hicks. Younger artists including Chonon Bensho, Tahir Karmali and Marigold Santos will also feature.
Beyond the main fair, Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi, curated by Marika Sardar, will explore art and objects from Antiquity to the early 20th century through its inaugural Indian Ocean theme. Global Futures, led by curator and writer Tarini Malik, will examine the UAE and region through artists connected to its cultural histories and contemporary conversations.
Focus will give younger international galleries a platform for experimental solo and dual presentations, with Frieze offering bursaries to participating galleries. The wider programme includes the debut Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award, Frieze Sculpture, and In Dialogue.
With its first edition, Frieze Abu Dhabi is set to bring a major new presence to the UAE’s art calendar, combining leading international galleries with artists and perspectives from across the region. And with Manarat Al Saadiyat as its base, the fair arrives in a cultural district already home to some of Abu Dhabi’s most ambitious institutions.
Where: Frieze Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi
When: 19 to 22 November 2026
Contact: www.frieze.com