Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that this year’s edition of Abu Dhabi Art will return to Manarat Al Saadiyat in a physical format and run from November 18-21, 2021, with an opening reception on 17 November. The 2021 edition will also capitalise on the success of last year’s virtual innovations by continuing to have a strong digital presence through a number of online initiatives.

HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi Art is a platform for cultural connectivity, bringing together artists, galleries, institutions and arts professionals and fostering creativity by connecting them. Whilst the last year has brought up many challenges and issues for the art world, it has also brought forth opportunities to innovate. This pandemic has shown us that our way forward is through collaboration, adaptation and innovation. For any society to blossom, culture must be part of its DNA, and must be integral to its aspirations for progression and development. Abu Dhabi Art has adapted swiftly to the challenges that have faced the art ecosystem during the pandemic and will contribute to cultural growth and to the art market in the UAE with renewed vigour this year. We look forward to welcoming visitors and the community back to the fair this November.”

HE Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “Abu Dhabi is one of the safest places in the world to visit in 2021, and we are excited to announce that we will be welcoming visitors to our programme at Manarat Al Saadiyat at the end of the year, and we will be adhering to all necessary health and safety regulations. Abu Dhabi Art is now an important date on the global cultural calendar, and a key initiative that reflects Abu Dhabi as a culturally active and artistically conscious city.”

This year Abu Dhabi Art will be also showcasing several new commissioned installations at locations across the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The art-driven experiences will stretch from Liwa and Al Ain to the city centre of Abu Dhabi and is in part a natural extension of the fair’s Beyond: Artist Commissions programme, which launched in 2017 and brings site-specific works to world heritage sites in Al Ain each year. Abu Dhabi Art has been working closely with commissioned artists on their new works, as well as with DCT Abu Dhabi, to create eco-driven experiences in these unique locations.

Each year, the fair collaborates with artists to create its visual campaign and this year it will feature works by Emirati artists Ayesha Hadhir, Rawdha Khalifa Al Ketbi and Shaikha Fahad Al Ketbi, which were first created as part of Beyond: Emerging Artists in 2019. In these works they jointly explore the idea of transformation in different environments, from seascapes and the desert, to abandoned cityscapes.

Strict precautionary and hygiene measures will be enforced at Abu Dhabi Art 2021 to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants and visitors. Details of these measures will be announced in due course.