Art Dubai, is back! The highly anticipated annual art exhibition has officially returned for its 17th edition. Scheduled to run from March 1-3, Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah will play host to Art Dubai 2024 showcasing artists from the SWANA region as it continues to serve as a crucial cultural institution, promoting artists, scholarship, and thought leadership within the region.

This year’s programme extends beyond being a commercial platform, emphasising its role as an institutional force in the cultural ecosystem. The 17th edition highlights Dubai’s increasingly diverse and multicultural communities, offering numerous opportunities for artists from the Global South, including collaborations with local and international partners, enhancing the richness and depth of its offerings.

The flagship summit, the Global Art Forum, will kick off the event on February 29. Curated by Shumon Basar and Nadine El Khoury, this year’s forum delves into the transformative impact of extreme weather across societal, scientific, and cultural domains. Distinguished speakers, including curators, artists, and thinktank representatives, will explore the subject, providing thought-provoking perspectives and insights.

Also taking place this year, Art Dubai presents the Dubai Collection, the city’s inaugural institutional offering of modern and contemporary art. Designed to inspire and educate audiences, the Dubai Collection reflects Dubai’s values of openness, diversity, and interconnectedness. The exhibition spotlights celebrated Emirati artists in a captivating group showcase titled “Encounters,” curated by Alia Zaal Lootah.

Represented by Lawrie Shabibi Gallery and featured in the Dubai Collection, Shaikha Al Mazrou is a promising artist known for her sculptural explorations. With a deep understanding of materials and their inherent properties, Al Mazrou draws inspiration from contemporary artistic movements, infusing her work with elements of colour theory and geometric abstraction.

In collaboration with Dubai Collection, the Modern and Collector Talks explore artistic connections forged during the Cold War. With a focus on Soviet education initiatives and exhibitions, these conversations aim to shift attention away from Western perspectives and shed light on artists from South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The talks provide invaluable insights into the art landscape and underscore the importance of institutional collecting and philanthropy.

The Arm Holding Children’s Programme is set to make a significant impact this year, as it expands its reach to over 100 schools, influencing around 15,000 young minds. This remarkable initiative collaborates with an esteemed artist every year to develop engaging workshops that extend beyond the fair’s premises. Working closely with private, government, and special educational needs schools nationwide, it aims to inspire children with a sculptural and architectural approach. Leading this year’s program is renowned Indian artist Sahil Naik, who will encourage children to envision the future of cities through his captivating artistic methods.

The 2022 initiated Art Dubai Digital is also hosting its third instalment. This segment annually offers a comprehensive overview of the digital art scene, with the goal of creating connections between the realms of art and technology. The current edition is being overseen by curators Alfredo Cramerotti and Auronda Scalera, and it aims to explore emerging trends in digital arts, including artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and robotics, while also proposing potential strategies for the future evolution and understanding of art.

The art fair will showcase a series of commissioned works that explore the themes of hope and healing. These thought-provoking artworks, including performances, films, and activations, will be created by artists from the Global South. Rooted in introspection and communal practices, they offer a profound exploration of the transformative potential of art during challenging times. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in these unique creations, gaining a deeper understanding of the healing process.