The Middle East’s first major art fair is set to launch next February. Art Basel, which already operates four major fairs around the world, announced the addition of Art Basel Qatar to its roster this week. The new fair follows a major multinational partnership. It also responds to an increasingly robust regional market for modern and contemporary art.
Art Basel Qatar Heads to Doha Design District
Art Basel Qatar is the result of a partnership between Art Basel’s parent company, MCH Group, and two leading Qatari organizations. Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) is a major sports and culture investor that brought the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. QC+ is a strategic and creative collective specializing in cultural commerce.
According to a statement, Art Basel Qatar aims to provide “an unparalleled platform to showcase leading galleries and artistic talent from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and further afield.” The fair’s inaugural edition will take place in February 2026 in Doha, Qatar’s vibrant capital city and population center. M7, a creative hub and artist residency venue, situated near the National Museum of Qatar in the Doha Design District, will host the event.
The first few editions of the fair will feature a curated selection of approximately 50 galleries. That number is much smaller than Art Basel’s other international fairs, which tend to bring together upwards of 200 galleries. According to a spokesperson, “This approach is designed to respond to today’s market while laying the foundation for future growth.”
“Qatar Has Been Transforming Itself”
“Growing the global art market, supporting artists and galleries, and developing new collecting audiences is core to Art Basel’s mission,” said Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz in a statement. “Qatar’s depth of collections, history of building great cultural institutions, and unique role as an incubator and supporter of talent position the new Art Basel Qatar for success on the world stage.”
The new edition of Art Basel Qatar is part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030. The initiative includes several cultural components. For example, Qatar plans to create a permanent national pavilion for the country at the Venice Biennale. It will also open three new museums by 2030, including the Art Mill Museum and the Lusail Museum.
“Qatar has been transforming itself into a knowledge-based economy, with culture and the creative industries helping to lead the way,” said Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, in a statement. “As Qatar Museums marks its twentieth anniversary, we are pleased to welcome the Art Basel organization as our partner to further elevate Qatar’s initiatives to support the creative industries of our region, offering exceptional new artistic experiences and opportunities to our talent.”
