6 art shows to see in the UAE this autumn
From a Louvre Abu Dhabi exhibition on the spice routes to the first Frieze Abu Dhabi, six shows in Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi, with their dates.
The cooler months are when the UAE's art calendar fills up. These six shows run between now and late November, several of them well into 2027, so there is time to fit in more than one.
Spices and Wonders, Louvre Abu Dhabi
an exhibition made with Paris's Guimet museum on the spices, textiles and ceramics that crossed the Indian Ocean from antiquity to the 17th century. Until 14 February 2027 on Saadiyat Island.
Sharjah Calligraphy Biennale
the 12th edition fills Calligraphy Square in the Heart of Sharjah with 681 works and 90 events. Until 15 November.
Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial
21 artists show work in public places under the theme Home, opening in Al Ain on 23 October and in Abu Dhabi on 15 November. Until 15 February 2027.
Salah Elmur at Jameel Arts Centre
the Cairo-based painter's work since 2018 in "Just as the Heart of a Mango is a Stone", from 31 October to 14 March 2027 on Jaddaf Waterfront. Entry is free.
Dubai Design Week, d3
the 12th edition brings Downtown Design, the Abwab exhibition and a weekend marketplace to Dubai Design District from 3 to 8 November.
Frieze Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat
the first Frieze fair in the Gulf, with 84 galleries from 63 cities, from 19 to 22 November. Frieze Sculpture stays on Mamsha Beach until 16 December.