Art Basel Qatar Announces 87 Galleries for its Inaugural Edition in February 2026
Olivia Feldheim
Art Basel Qatar will feature 84 artist presentations by 87 galleries when the fair debuts in Doha next February. Presented in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+, the fair – Art Basel’s fifth globally – will take place from 5–7 February 2026, with Preview Days on 3–4 February.
Art Basel Qatar has announced the list of participating galleries for its inaugural edition, which will take place in Doha from 5 to 7 February 2026, with Preview Days on 3 and 4 February. Presented in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+, the fair will feature 84 artist presentations by 87 galleries from 31 countries and territories. Among them, 16 galleries will be showing with Art Basel for the first time, bringing new voices and perspectives onto the global platform.
Conceived under the curatorial direction of Egyptian-born artist Wael Shawky, Art Basel Qatar’s first edition departs from the traditional booth model to present an open-format exhibition in which artist presentations respond to a central curatorial theme of Becoming. A meditation on humanity’s constant transformation and the systems that shape how we live, believe, and create meaning, it will unfold across M7 and the Doha Design District, as well as selected public sites in Msheireb Downtown Doha, the city’s creative and cultural heart.
“With Art Basel Qatar, we are furthering our mission to be a catalyst for cultural exchange and market growth. Our gallery line-up for year one is thrilling – welcoming diverse new voices to our platform and deepening our engagement with new geographies, while also creating opportunities across our network of existing clients and established partners. This new venture is only possible thanks to the long-term commitment of our partners, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+, and I’m excited for the impact our collaboration will have over the coming years."
Art Basel Qatar – with Visit Qatar as the fair’s Lead Partner – will highlight the vitality of artistic production and the expanding gallery landscape across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. The strength of the regional presence in this first edition affirms Doha’s position as a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, while linking the fair to Art Basel’s global network of galleries, artists, and collectors.
More than half of the artists presented hail from the region, including Etel Adnan, Ali Banisadr, Simone Fattal, Ali Cherri, Meriem Bennani, and Iman Issa. Galleries from across the region will participate, including those based in the Gulf, the wider Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Homegrown galleries showing at Art Basel for the first time include Hafez Gallery (Jeddah, Riyadh), Gallery Misr (Cairo), Le Violon Bleu (Tunis), Saleh Barakat Gallery (Beirut), and Tabari Artspace (Dubai). International participants include Acquavella Galleries, Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, David Zwirner, and White Cube.
Visit Qatar joins as Lead Partner, Qatar Airways as Premium Partner, BMW as Associate Partner, and Zegna as Official Partner.
