As the Gulf gears up for another autumn rich with culture, the return of Abu Dhabi Art remains one of the most anticipated events on the region’s calendar.

The 17th edition, taking place from Wednesday to Sunday at Manarat Al Saadiyat, will bring together more than 140 galleries from 52 cities across 37 countries.

This year’s fair is also bittersweet – it marks the final outing before Abu Dhabi Art relaunches as Frieze Abu Dhabi. The transition will lend a sense of nostalgia to the event, as both the fair and its loyal audience reflect on 17 years of connecting through art.

Fair director Dyala Nusseibeh says exhibitor numbers have risen by 40 per cent this year compared to 2024. Victor Besa / The National

“Fairs are often described as platforms in art world discussions, but they are perhaps more understandable as communities, certainly in the case of Abu Dhabi Art,” says Dyala Nusseibeh, the fair’s director.

“I hope everyone enjoys this edition and is as excited as we are for the new chapter ahead as Frieze Abu Dhabi. What is certain is that we have collectively created very strong foundations for the growth ahead,” she adds.

“Abu Dhabi Art functions as both a dynamic commercial hub for the art market and a marketplace for ideas,” Nusseibeh explains. “Exhibitor numbers have risen by 40 per cent compared to 2024, underscoring the growing international interest in the UAE’s art scene amid shifting global dynamics. This global participation also allows Abu Dhabi Art to amplify regional narratives and share them worldwide, contributing meaningfully to cultural discourse.”

Under the Gulf Focus section at Abu Dhabi Art, Saudi Arabia's Hafez Gallery will present the emotive works of artist Sami Al Marzoogi. Photo: Abu Dhabi Art

Alongside the main showcase of international galleries such as Pace Gallery, Mennour, Galleria Continua and Hanart TZ, this year’s Focus section highlights artists from Turkey, the Gulf and Nigeria. The popular Collectors’ Salon also returns, presenting historically important objects, artefacts, rare books, maps and artworks.

The Nigeria Focus, presented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy of Nigeria, underscores shared values between the UAE and Nigeria in supporting the creative economy.

Seven galleries will take part, featuring both established and emerging artists from the Osogbo School – a modernist art movement born in the 1960s that fused Yoruba cultural symbols with a post-independence visual language.

Nicole Asinugo, director of The Osahon Okunbo Foundation; Tola Akerele, founder, Soto Gallery