Dubai has developed in so many different ways across the past couple of decades and one area which the city has become truly renowned for is its commitment to arts and culture.
While the location is home to a host of impressive galleries, its devotion to artistic endeavors is probably most evident during its annual Art Dubai fair – an event that has grown to become a key date in the global cultural calendar.
.@artnews: Art #Dubai is one of many international art fairs forced to postpone its 2020 edition in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, but it moved into a new realm of presenting digital initiatives. pic.twitter.com/83e8y8qBRn
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 26, 2020
A World-Class Art Fair Heads Online
Described by its organizers as one of the world’s top international arts fairs, the event takes place at the Madinat Jumeirah, a striking five-star resort which is only a short journey away from some of Dubai’s most vibrant areas. Notable landmarks such as the Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab are nearby, while the stylish waterfront neighborhood of Dubai Marina is also close. Bayut states the latter is among the most sought-after neighborhoods in the city, with its 2019 Dubai Real Estate Market Report revealing it generated the second-highest number of user searches.
But in addition to its a prime location, just what can you expect when you visit Art Dubai? According to the official website, the aim of the event is to reflect the qualities found in the city as a whole – and this means being international and culturally vibrant with one eye on the future.
It could be argued that the event itself has certainly achieved the latter with the way it has attempted to tackle the challenge posed by global developments. Like so many festivals or fairs scheduled to be held across the globe, Art Dubai has of course been affected by recent events. However, rather than canceling what was planned for this year, the minds behind it have chosen to take the event online instead.
Since March 23rd, the Art Dubai website has been regularly updated with new digital content related to the 2020 event. Notable elements include the launch of a 2020 online catalog, which allows users to go through and browse more than 500 artworks created by artists represented by galleries involved in the fair. There is also the Global Art Forum’s Newshour Special, while a new online-only Planetary Feed has gone live with a special report on philanthropy in South Asia. Furthermore, an online performance program has also been developed under the supervision of Marina Fokidis, a Greek curator and writer who has worked on a range of high-profile arts and culture events.
Healing as art: Marina Fokidis discusses Art Dubai’s online performance program @arabnews @rebeccaaproctor https://t.co/zPHJ0h04vF
— Art Dubai (@artdubai) March 26, 2020
The switch to online and digital content is clearly a clever and intriguing move considering everything that is happening in the world at present. Not only that, but it is certainly a step that appears to make sense considering Art Dubai’s commitment to being future-facing.
Hopes will no doubt be high that the content on offer will catch the eye and encourage people to attend the event in person once the fair is able to properly open its doors once again in 2021.