Art Basel Qatar Announces 87 Galleries for Its Inaugural Edition in February 2026

Art Basel Qatar has announced the participation of 87 galleries for its first edition, which will take place in Doha from February 5 to 7, 2026, with preview days on February 3 and 4. Organized in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+, this will be Art Basel’s fifth global fair.

The event will feature 84 artist presentations representing 31 countries and territories, including 16 galleries participating in an Art Basel fair for the first time, bringing new perspectives and voices to the international platform.

Curatorial Framework and Artistic Direction

Under the curatorial direction of Egyptian artist Wael Shawky, the first edition of Art Basel Qatar departs from the traditional booth format to present an open-format exhibition. Artist presentations will respond to the central theme, “Becoming,” which explores humanity’s ongoing transformation and the systems that shape how people live, believe, and create meaning.

The exhibition will unfold across two main venues — M7 and the Doha Design District — as well as at selected public sites in Msheireb Downtown Doha, the city’s cultural and creative hub.

The format and curatorial approach will emphasize storytelling and dialogue, encouraging new ways for galleries, artists, and collectors to engage while maintaining strong market relevance.

Regional and International Participation

With Visit Qatar as Lead Partner, the fair will highlight the vitality of artistic production and the expanding gallery landscape across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. More than half of the artists in the inaugural edition are from this region, including Etel Adnan, Ali Banisadr, Simone Fattal, Ali Cherri, Meriem Bennani, and Iman Issa.

Galleries from the Gulf (Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia), the broader Middle East (Lebanon, Turkey), North Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia), and South Asia (India) will participate.

Among the region’s galleries joining Art Basel for the first time are Hafez Gallery (Jeddah, Riyadh), Gallery Misr (Cairo), Le Violon Bleu (Tunis), Saleh Barakat Gallery (Beirut), and Tabari Artspace (Dubai).

International participants include major galleries from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, such as Acquavella Galleries, Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, David Zwirner, and White Cube.

Statements from Art Basel Leadership

Noah Horowitz, CEO of Art Basel, stated:

“With Art Basel Qatar, we are furthering our mission to foster cultural exchange and market growth. The lineup for our first year is exceptional, welcoming new voices to our platform and deepening engagement across different geographies. This project has been made possible through the long-term commitment of our partners, Qatar Sports Investments and QC+.”

Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs, said:

“We are delighted by the response to Art Basel Qatar, which has brought together an outstanding group of leading galleries for our inaugural edition. The quality and range of participation reflect both the strength of the project and the enthusiasm it has generated regionally and internationally. Working with Wael Shawky has been highly rewarding, and his vision has guided remarkable presentations around the theme of Becoming.”

Wael Shawky, Artistic Director, explained:

“The theme Becoming is a reflection on change — on how humanity continually redefines how we live, believe, and create meaning. The Gulf is central to this story, where oral traditions intersect with digital networks and historic trade routes reemerge as new pathways for cultural exchange. My hope is that the first edition of Art Basel Qatar becomes a space for these stories to surface and resonate more broadly.”

Artist and Gallery Highlights

More than half of the 84 artists presented in the inaugural edition come from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, underscoring the fair’s regional focus. Notable presentations include:

• Etel Adnan with Anthony Meier (Mill Valley) and Waddington Custot (London, Dubai)
• Ali Banisadr with Perrotin (Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul, Dubai)
• Ali Cherri with Almine Rech (Paris, Brussels, New York, Shanghai, Monaco, Gstaad)
• Ahmed Mater with Athr Gallery (Jeddah, Riyadh, AlUla)
• Mona Hatoum with Galerie Chantal Crousel (Paris)
• Iman Issa with Sylvia Kouvali (London, Athens)
• Mohammed Monaiseer with Gypsum Gallery (Cairo)
• Hassan Sharif with Gallery Isabelle (Dubai)
• Simone Fattal with Karma International (Zurich)
• Shirin Neshat with Lia Rumma (Milan, Naples)
• MARWAN with Sfeir-Semler Gallery (Beirut, Hamburg)
• Sophia Al-Maria with The Third Line (Dubai)
• Meriem Bennani with François Ghebaly (Los Angeles, New York) and Lodovico Corsini (Brussels)

Regional participation will also include al markhiya gallery (Doha), Green Art Gallery, Lawrie Shabibi, Tabari Artspace, and Hafez Gallery, among others. From North Africa, highlights include ArtTalks | Kanafani Gallery and Loft Art Gallery, while from India, Chemould Prescott Road (Mumbai) will take part.

Among the international galleries are Galleria Continua, Gladstone Gallery, Gray, Hauser & Wirth, Sean Kelly, kurimanzutto, Lisson Gallery, Luxembourg + Co., Pace Gallery, Sprüth Magers, Tornabuoni Art, Michael Werner Gallery, White Cube, and David Zwirner, presenting works by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Christo, Alex Katz, Philip Guston, Gabriel Orozco, Olga de Amaral, Lynda Benglis, Georg Baselitz, and Marlene Dumas, among others.

A New Platform for Global Art from Doha

The inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar aims to position Doha as a dynamic hub for artistic and cultural exchange, connecting the Gulf’s creative ecosystem to Art Basel’s global network of galleries, artists, and collectors. The fair’s curatorial vision and strong regional participation establish it as a new focal point within the international contemporary art landscape.