Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial

Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial is a recurring exhibition of art commissioned for public space in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, organises it within its Public Art Abu Dhabi initiative. The first edition opened on 15 November 2024.

Titled Public Matter, that edition ran until 30 April 2025. More than 70 artists based in the UAE and abroad made works and performances for the centres of both cities. Among them were Allora & Calzadilla, Farah Al Qasimi, Hashel Al Lamki, Khalil Rabah, Sammy Baloji and Tarik Kiswanson. Several works were acquired to stay as permanent public pieces, including ones by Kader Attia, Superflex and Wael Al Awar.

The second edition, Home: A Glossary for a Communal Sense of Place, has Elvira Dyangani Ose as artistic director. She formerly directed MACBA in Barcelona. It opens in Al Ain on 23 October 2026 and in Abu Dhabi on 15 November 2026, and the commissions are free to see.