Frieze will be taking over the existing Abu Dhabi Art fair through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT). This marks Frieze’s first Middle Eastern fair.
The announcement follows rival Art Basel’s plan to debut in Doha, Qatar, in February 2025. Frieze’s expansion coincides with Ari Emanuel’s acquisition of the company via his new firm Mari, backed by $2 billion in equity from investors including Abu Dhabi’s IMI and the Qatar Investment Authority. Emanuel’s longstanding ties with Abu Dhabi through Mubadala and the UFC partnership further link the new venture to the region.
Frieze Abu Dhabi will be hosted at Manarat Al Saadiyat, with Dyala Nusseibeh continuing as director and Deutsche Bank as sponsor. DCT’s chair, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, said the event will build on Abu Dhabi Art’s success to reinforce the city’s role as a global cultural capital.
The final Abu Dhabi Art will take place 19–23 November 2025, featuring 140 exhibitors, including Modern and Contemporary galleries such as Galeria Continua, Loft Art Gallery, Paul Hughes Fine Arts, and Pace Gallery, Special Projects galleries such as Forum Rare Books, Galleria Franco Noero, Green Art Gallery, and Your Ben Ammar Gallery. It will also have Focus sections for Modern Türkiye, Nigeria, and the Gulf Regions.
