As Art Dubai marks its milestone 20th edition this week, Fair Director Dunja Gottweis reflects on the evolution of the region’s cultural landscape

For the past two decades, Art Dubai has helped shape the cultural identity of the UAE, growing from a regional art fair into one of the world’s most important platforms connecting the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia with the wider global art world. But for Fair Director Dunja Gottweis, who joined in 2025, the fair has always represented something larger than the art market itself. “From the beginning, it was built on the belief that an art fair had to do more than operate for a few days each year,” she says. “It had to contribute to the long-term cultural development of the city.”

This year, as Art Dubai prepares to open its milestone 20th edition at Madinat Jumeirah from May 14 to 17, that vision feels more relevant than ever. At a moment of rapid cultural growth across the region and wider global uncertainty, the 2026 edition takes on a more concentrated and collaborative format, bringing together galleries, institutions, artists and collectors in what Gottweis describes as “a very clear belief from our galleries, partners and wider community that coming together holds weight.”

Gottweis brings extensive international art world experience to the role, having previously worked at Art Basel before joining Art Dubai as Fair Director. Yet alongside her professional background, her relationship with culture has also been shaped by movement, travel and geography. “My parents were explorers in spirit,” she explains. “I grew up travelling with them, adapting to new environments and absorbing different ways of life.” Having lived across Europe, Asia, the UK and now the UAE over the past 12 years, she developed a strong understanding of how cultures intersect and evolve. “Art became one of the most powerful ways for me to understand those connections,” she says.

That global perspective has become increasingly important to Art Dubai’s identity. Unlike many traditional fairs centred around established Western markets, Art Dubai has consistently championed artists and points of view often overlooked elsewhere. “It has always championed perspectives not always given space elsewhere, from the MENASA region, and geographies that have historically been underrepresented at other international art fairs,” Gottweis explains.

This year’s special edition reflects that continued commitment. Featuring approximately 75 galleries and institutional participants, the fair spans contemporary, modern, and digital practices, while introducing an innovative risk-sharing model that allows galleries to pay booth costs based on results. “Resilience and innovation are in Dubai’s DNA,” Gottweis says. “This special edition was built in six weeks alongside our community.”

Alongside returning regional names such as ATHR and The Third Line, the fair will also welcome first-time exhibitors, including galleries from Paris, Mexico City and Romania, reinforcing Dubai’s growing position as a truly international cultural hub. “The UAE is no longer a market in formation,” Gottweis says. “It is an established participant in the global art world, with a clear character of its own.”

Yet one of the most defining aspects of Art Dubai’s evolution has been its refusal to function solely as a commercial event. Over the years, the fair has developed extensive year-round initiatives, including Campus Art Dubai, the A.R.M Holding Children’s Programme and Art Dubai Digital, which launched in 2022 as the first dedicated fair section focused on digital art. “The fair itself acts as a point of convergence,” Gottweis explains, “bringing together artists, galleries, institutions and audiences, while ensuring the conversations and opportunities it creates continue to unfold year-round.”

That ecosystem-building has helped reshape Dubai’s wider cultural infrastructure. When Art Dubai first launched in 2007, the city had around 10 commercial galleries. Today, there are more than 40, alongside institutions such as Sharjah Art Foundation, Jameel Arts Centre and the Dubai Collection, all contributing to a more layered and sustainable cultural landscape.

For Gottweis, however, the real significance of this year’s edition lies not simply in celebrating two decades of Art Dubai, but in what cultural gathering itself represents today. “My hope is that people feel the confidence and connection that only cultural platforms can generate,” she says. “Particularly now, when coming together to share ideas feels more vital than ever.”

Art Dubai 2026 is scheduled to take place from 15–17 May 2026 (with VIP previews on 14 May) at Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai.