Frieze Abu Dhabi, the first edition of the fair group’s new event in the Persian Gulf, opens on 19 November 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, in the Saadiyat Cultural District of Abu Dhabi, and runs until 22 November. According to the fair’s press release of 27 October, 89 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions are taking part, and the presentations open with pioneering artists from the region, among them the Iranian artist Farideh Lashai, shown by Leila Heller Gallery.
The fair matters beyond its own four days. It replaces Abu Dhabi Art, the emirate’s long-running fair, and is organised by Frieze together with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). It places one of the art market’s best-known fair brands on the same cultural island where the Louvre Abu Dhabi already stands and where, according to both The National and The Art Newspaper, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open on 11 December.
From Abu Dhabi Art to Frieze
DCT Abu Dhabi and Frieze announced their partnership on 10 October 2025, describing it in the government media office’s release as a plan “to evolve Abu Dhabi Art into Frieze Abu Dhabi”; the 2025 edition of Abu Dhabi Art went ahead in its existing format, and the change took effect with the 2026 edition. The Art Newspaper traces the older fair back to 2007, when it began as ArtParis Abu Dhabi at the Emirates Palace hotel before being renamed Abu Dhabi Art and moving to Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Continuity is also visible in the leadership. Dyala Nusseibeh, who joined Abu Dhabi Art as director in 2016 according to The Art Newspaper, now directs Frieze Abu Dhabi. The new fair is, however, smaller than its predecessor: The National reports that Abu Dhabi Art’s final edition, in 2025, had 142 galleries, against 89 exhibitors this year.
Regional pioneers and international names
The press release lists, among the highlights, works by pioneering figures from the region: Farideh Lashai (Leila Heller Gallery), Abdullah Al Saadi (Aisha Alabbar Art Gallery), Mounirah Mosly (Athr) and Samir Rafi (ArtTalks | Kanafani Gallery). They are shown alongside solo and dual presentations of international artists, including Sheila Hicks (galerie frank elbaz), Ibrahim El-Salahi (Vigo Gallery) and Emily Kam Kngwarray (Pace Gallery).
For Persian-speaking readers, Lashai’s presence is the notable thread. Born in Rasht in 1944 and died in Tehran in 2013, she was a painter, printmaker and video artist. The fair’s materials do not specify which of her works Leila Heller Gallery will bring.
Four sections
The fair is organised in four parts. Galleries is the main section. Focus is devoted to younger galleries and emerging artists, with names such as Tahir Karmali (Management), Thuy Tien Nguyen (Solo), Chonon Bensho (W-Galería) and Marigold Santos (Patel Brown), whose work, the release says, explores colonialism, migration, land and memory. Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi, curated by Marika Sardar, follows the movement of objects, people and ideas across the Indian Ocean. Global Futures, curated by Tarini Malik, brings together solo presentations by artists whose practices engage with histories and ideas that resonate across the region.
The Art Newspaper also reports that the Lebanese artist Dala Nasser is the first winner of the Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award. Deutsche Bank, Frieze’s global lead partner, will show an installation by the Emirati artist Omar Al Gurg in its lounge, according to the release.
Practical information
Frieze Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi, 19–22 November 2026. According to The National, the first day is by invitation only and public admission begins on 20 November.
Sources: Frieze press release, 27 October 2026; Abu Dhabi Media Office, announcement of 10 October 2025; The National, 10 November 2026; The Art Newspaper, 13 November 2026; Wikipedia: Farideh Lashai.
This article was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the Honargardi editorial team.