In a bold move to cement its standing on the world’s art stage, the UAE has unveiled the International Art Fairs Grant—an initiative designed to turbocharge the global ambitions of Dubai’s own galleries. Managed by Art Dubai and backed by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the fund promises to cover up to 50% of booth fees at leading international art fairs, from Frieze London to Art Basel Miami Beach.
“For too long, our galleries have lacked a runway to the world’s top events,” explains Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of Dubai Culture’s Arts and Literature Sector. “This grant is our invitation to the globe: come see what Emirati vision has to offer.”
Under the scheme, any gallery with a physical space in Dubai—or even a digital platform that has been championing local talent for at least three years—can apply once they’ve been accepted into a fair.
Art Dubai, often described as the launching pad for the Middle East’s most exciting names, has overseen the fund’s rollout since January. A spokesperson notes that aspiring participants need only evidence their commitment to showcasing Emirati artists—or those who’ve made Dubai home—to unlock government support.
The director of Green Art Gallery, Yasmin Atassi, welcomes the initiative as a long-overdue boost. “Unlike their counterparts abroad, UAE-based galleries had no such lifeline,” she says. “Now, we can take our artists to Paris, New York, and beyond with national backing.” Indeed, in the past decade, Dubai’s gallery scene has skyrocketed, tripling in numbers and attracting international collectors who collectively poured over $500 million into regional art sales last year alone.
Yet the grant isn’t just about fees. Founders like Maliha Tabari of Tabari Artspace see it as a cultural statement. “Art fairs have historically favored Western narratives,” she observes. “This fund signals that the UAE isn’t only playing alongside the art world’s heavyweights—it’s helping to rewrite the script.”
Not everyone is focused solely on participation costs. William Lawrie of Lawrie Shabibi points out that, for sculpture fairs such as Frieze Sculpture, shipping and installation often eclipse booth fees. “Still,” he admits, “halving our stand costs makes the dream far more financially viable.”
With applications open once per gallery each year, Dubai is betting that its bolstered presence abroad will loop back home, fueling a creative ripple effect across the Emirates. As the desert emirate continues its transformation from oil hub to cultural powerhouse, the International Art Fairs Grant may prove the spark that ignites a new renaissance—one where every canvas carries a hint of the Arabian sun.
