Updated Saturday 26 September
Art in the Gulf
Galleries, museums, exhibitions and artists across 6 countries, with the most in Dubai, Doha and Jeddah. What is on now, what opens next, and what closes this week, with addresses and opening hours kept current.
Also called the GCC states: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Narrow it down: Middle EastArab worldLevantNorth Africa
Opens Sunday 4 OctoberThis week
Openings and last days, Saturday 26 September to Friday 2 October
Sat
26today
Nothing listed
Sun
27
Nothing listed
Mon
28
Nothing listed
Tue
29
Nothing listed
Fri
2
Nothing listed
On view now
17 exhibitions in the Gulf
Until 10 NovemberSolo exhibition
Taking Form
The Third Line, Dubai
Group, until 4 November
I Bloom Where You Hold Me
Gallery Isabelle, Dubai
Solo, until 7 November
The Butterfly's Burden
Lawrie Shabibi, Dubai
Group, until 24 October
Private World
Green Art Gallery, Dubai
Art centre, until 31 January
Artist's Room: Walid Siti
Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
Last chance
The next exhibitions to close
Cities
Where to see art, city by city
Dubai
UAE5 venues, 5 shows on view
Doha
Qatar4 venues, 4 shows on view
Jeddah
Saudi Arabia2 venues, 2 shows on view
Muscat
Oman2 venues, 2 shows on view
All galleries and museums
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Gallery Isabelle, Green Art Gallery, Jameel Arts Centre, Lawrie Shabibi, The Third Line
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Manama, Bahrain
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
By country
Each country page lists its venues, exhibitions and artists
| Country | Venues | On view | Artists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | 4 | 4 | 11 |
| Saudi Arabia | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Country | Venues | On view | Artists |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| Oman | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Country | Venues | On view | Artists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Kuwait | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Gulf artists
26 profiles with biography, CV and exhibitions
Alia Farid
Kuwait
Anwar Sonya
Oman
Aseel AlYaqoub
Kuwait
Basmah Felemban
Saudi Arabia
Ghada Khunji
Bahrain
Hanadi Al Darwish
Qatar
Qatar (11)
Abdulla Al Fakhroo, Abdullatif Ahmad Alnaemi, Abdullatif Jaidah, Aisha Al Muhannadi, Ameena Al Boinin, Fatema Ahmad Al-Doh, Hameed Al Qahtani, Hanadi Al Darwish, Hessa Al Kuwari, Lina Al Aali, Maryam Abel
Saudi Arabia (6)
Basmah Felemban, Latifa AlBokhari, Lulua Alyahya, Manal AlDowayan, Maryam Tariq, Safeya Binzagr
Oman (3)
Kuwait (2)
Bahrain (2)
United Arab Emirates (2)
News
Case Study: Why Christie's Is Taking Its Middle Eastern Sale to Abu Dhabi
Christie's will hold its first fine-art auction in Abu Dhabi on 1 November 2026. We look at the numbers behind Mawasim, what the move tells us, and what to watch as the capital's biggest art season begins.
Islamic Arts Biennale Names Four Lead Curators for 2027
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has just named Nada Raza, William Robinson, Alain Fouad George and Idries Trevathan as lead curators of the third Islamic Arts Biennale, opening in Jeddah on 1 November 2027.
CONTINUUM '26 Puts a New Generation of Media Artists in the Spotlight in Diriyah
The second edition of CONTINUUM at Diriyah Art Futures showcases 16 emerging new media artists, with a strong showing from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Yemen, until 7 November 2026.
Questions
Where can I see art in the Gulf?
artmena lists 9 galleries and 9 museums, foundations and art centres in the Gulf, in Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Muscat, with their addresses, opening hours and current exhibitions.
What art exhibitions are on in the Gulf now?
17 exhibitions are on view now, including Taking Form, I Bloom Where You Hold Me and The Butterfly's Burden. 1 more open in the next 30 days.
Who are some Gulf artists to know?
artmena profiles 26 artists from the Gulf, among them Abdulla Al Fakhroo, Abdullatif Ahmad Alnaemi, Abdullatif Jaidah and Aisha Al Muhannadi, each with a biography, CV and exhibitions.