Abu Dhabi reveals theme and dates for 2026 Public Art Biennial
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced the dates and theme for the second edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial (PAAD), Qazinform News Agency reports, citing WAM.
The opening in Al Ain is on 23rd October 2026, followed by Abu Dhabi on 15th November 2026, turning public spaces into vibrant sites of artistic expression and community engagement.
Under the artistic direction of Elvira Dyangani Ose, former Director of the MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona), the second edition is organized around the theme “Home: A Glossary for a Communal Sense of Place”. Drawing on Dyangani Ose’s extensive expertise in community-engaged public space, the Biennial approaches the concept of ‘home’ as an evolving, collective, and plural condition rather than a static geographic site.
The exhibition prioritizes sustained engagement through distributed commissions, research-based practices, and public encounters, inviting audiences to interact with art in their everyday spaces.
This approach builds on the success of the inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, Public Matter (2024-25), which featured several site-specific commissions by artists from the UAE and around the world.
This edition continues the Biennial’s dedication to fostering meaningful connections between artists, communities, and place. Several works from the first edition have been acquired or kept as permanent installations, enriching the emirate's expanding public art collection.
The upcoming Biennial will champion public art not only as an aesthetic intervention but also as a civic practice that fosters participation, interpretation, and collective authorship, cultivating a shared sense of place while reflecting the layered realities of Abu Dhabi’s urban landscapes and material culture.
Public Art Abu Dhabi elevates the emirate’s landscapes into platforms for cultural expression, dialogue, and exchange. Aligning with DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to protecting, preserving, promoting, and advancing cultural heritage, this initiative contributes to a lasting public realm that celebrates collective memory and supports a forward-looking creative legacy.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Museum of the Future had issued a global open call inviting individuals in the UAE and around the world to submit ideas and creative concepts to help shape its next generation of immersive experiences and future-oriented content.
