How Frieze became the latest step in Abu Dhabi's cultural masterplan
Building on more than two decades of development in the UAE, Frieze’s first Middle East fair seeks to promote regional artists and boost Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a destination for global elites
Frieze Abu Dhabi is set to debut from November 19-22, marking the culmination of cultural development in the emirate as the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and other museums open in recent months. The event joins Public Art Biennial and Nomad Abu Dhabi art and design fair this month, with plans for Miza, a creative quarter in Mina Zayed, ongoing.
While Abu Dhabi's art fairs have been running for nearly two decades, the city's art market has lagged behind, with Mena (Middle East and North African) art comparatively underexposed and relatively inexpensive.
Frieze Abu Dhabi aims to change this by integrating the local and regional market into the global market, with the help of Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), to which the fair belongs. Frieze's chief executive Simon Fox and director Dyala Nusseibeh believe this partnership will offer greater international exposure for regional galleries and artists, as well as entry for Western galleries to a new collecting cohort.
The fair's success is backed by Mubadala, a key backer of Silver Lake, an investment firm that acquired Frieze in 2025, and the Abu Dhabi media group IMI. This investment aligns with Abu Dhabi's embrace of luxury and high-end events, signaling a broader cultural masterplan for the emirate.
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