The sixteenth edition of Art Dubai took place at Madinat Jumeirah in early March 2023, presenting over 120 participants from more than 40 countries and six continents. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and sponsored by Julius Baer, it remains the leading platform for artists from the Middle East and the Global South. Four gallery sections — Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba, and Art Dubai Digital — were complemented by newly commissioned artworks, an extensive talks programme, and education events for children and teenagers.
The Digital section featured a multi-strand conference exploring how artists deploy immersive technology to push the boundaries of traditional form. Gallery names across six continents shared space with 21 locally-based galleries, the highest number in the fair’s history, reflecting Dubai’s growing importance as a regional and global creative centre. First-time exhibitors included galleries from Paris, Seoul, Harare, Lagos, Buenos Aires, New Delhi, and Berlin.
Twelve galleries returned after a hiatus. Art Dubai’s central argument — that the Global South offers a relevant and increasingly important alternative to the Western-dominated mainstream art narrative — gains credibility with each edition. The city hosting it is itself evidence of that argument. Dubai has become a place where that conversation can happen, at scale, with genuine institutional backing and serious collector engagement.