Art Basel Qatar Announces 87 Galleries for Its 2026 Debut

Art Basel is making its Middle Eastern debut with scale and vision. Art Basel Qatar will launch in Doha from February 5th to 7th, 2026, marking the fair’s fifth global edition and its first in the region. Partnering with Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) and QC+, the fair will bring together 87 galleries from 31 countries, including 16 showing with Art Basel for the very first time.

Breaking from the traditional booth model, the inaugural edition, curated by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky, will unfold as an open-format exhibition across M7, the Doha Design District, and public spaces in Msheireb Downtown Doha. Themed “Becoming”, the fair will explore how humanity continuously reshapes how it lives, believes, and creates meaning.

“The theme ‘Becoming’ is a meditation on change, on how humanity reshapes the ways we live, believe, and create meaning,” tells CairoScene Wael Shawky, Artistic Director of Art Basel Qatar. “The Gulf lies at the heart of this story, where oral traditions flow into digital networks and ancient trade routes return as new pathways of culture and exchange.”

The fair will spotlight the growing art ecosystem across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA), with more than half of participating artists hailing from the region, among them Etel Adnan, Ali Banisadr, Simone Fattal, Ali Cherri, Meriem Bennani, and Iman Issa.

Regional galleries making their Art Basel debut include Gallery Misr (Cairo), Hafez Gallery (Jeddah, Riyadh), Le Violon Bleu (Tunis), Saleh Barakat Gallery (Beirut), and Tabari Artspace (Dubai) — joining heavyweight international names like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, Pace Gallery, and White Cube.

“With Art Basel Qatar, we are furthering our mission to be a catalyst for cultural exchange and market growth,” Noah Horowitz, CEO of Art Basel, says. “Our gallery line-up for year one is thrilling, welcoming diverse new voices and deepening our engagement with new geographies.”

“Working with Wael Shawky has been deeply energising,” adds Vincenzo de Bellis, Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs for Art Basel. “His vision has inspired outstanding presentations shaped around the theme of Becoming.”

Backed by Visit Qatar as the fair’s lead partner, Art Basel Qatar promises to cement Doha’s role as a global art hub — one where regional narratives and global markets converge under a shared artistic language.

“My hope is that the first edition of Art Basel Qatar becomes a space for these stories to surface,” Shawky adds. “Art here is not only a witness to history but a force that shapes how we imagine and reimagine identity.”

Based in Doha, Shawky is known for his fusion of film, performance, and storytelling. His acclaimed work Drama 1882 represented Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale, and his practice has been featured in major solo exhibitions at institutions including Tate Modern, Kunsthaus Bregenz, and MoMA PS1.