The 10 Best Art Galleries to Visit in Dubai | ExpatWoman.com
 

The 10 Best Art Galleries to Visit in Dubai

Discover art galleries in Dubai with our guide and be part of the growing art scene from local and regional artists.

Posted on

24 September 2013

Last updated on 14 January 2020
The 10 Best Art Galleries to Visit in Dubai

Whether tourist or resident, make sure you take the time to visit some of the best art galleries here.

In Dubai you will probably often hear “there’s not enough culture” from both visitors and residents. It is not 100% true: from one hand the galleries and arty events are not that easy to find in this city as shopping malls and boutique restaurants, but from other hand you may discover completely other side of Dubai by visiting exhibitions in the dust of Al Quoz or have a coffee with friends in a gallery in the middle of old Dubai.


Here's our ExpatWoman Top 10 Art Galleries in Dubai...

1. XVA Gallery
2. Third Line
3. JamJar
4. The Fridge
5. Mojo Gallery
6. Artspace
7. Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Café
8. Boutique 1
9. Carbon 12
10 The Courtyard

Over the last few years there has been a growing art scene coming from local and regional artists which has helped transform the perception of Dubai as a characterless, mall obsessed city into a thriving cultural scene.

Big art events are annually held in UAE such as Art Dubai or Sharjah Biennial that play a big role in artistic and cultural development of the Gulf region.

SEE ALSO: Visit one of Dubai's fantastic museums

There are three areas, which are well known as an art galleries hub in Dubai: Bastakiya, DIFC and Al Quoz.

Bastakiya (or Bastakia) in Bur Dubai near the Dubai Museum is a historic area and actually the only part of Dubai where you can see some of the original housing in the city, before all of the skyscrapers and office buildings went up. You will find several quaint cafes and galleries along Dubai Creek. Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding conducts tours of the area. The must see is "Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Café", quiet and laid back outdoor café, where you can have a quick coffee, fresh juice, or snack and while waiting have a look at some art works and jewellery from local artists.

 

DIFC Gate Village is a contemporary urban area that’s home to art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Twice a year Gate Village hosts Dubai Art Night that combines elements of art, music, film and design through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, where people can come together in a relaxed setting, to mingle and unwind after work, while enjoying the creative experience.

Although Al Quoz does not exactly hold the usual Dubai glamour, with cement factories, labour camps and extreme dust, it is here where the local Dubai art scene took hold. Home for over ten contemporary art galleries in Al Quoz is Al-Serkal Avenue that at first glance looks like a block of warehouse spaces, but in effect is Dubai's celebrated art hub.


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Art Galleries in Dubai:

4 Walls Art Gallery | Middle Eastern and international modern art, Al Quoz.
Telephone: + 9714 338 8892
Website: www.4walls-dubai.com

Art Sawa, World-class contemporary art, Al Quoz and DIFC, The Gate Village.
Telephone: +971 4 3408660 / +971 4 3862366
Website: www.artsawa.com

Artspace Gallery | Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, DIFC, The Gate Village.
Telephone: +9714 3230820
Website: https://www.artdubai.ae/

Ayyam Gallery | Syrian art, Alserkal Avenue,Al Quoz and The Gate Village, DIFC.
Telephone: +971 4 3236242 / +971 4 4392395
Website: www.ayyamgallery.com

Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Cafe | Artworks, books, jewellery, Bastakiya, Bur Dubai.
Telephone: +971 4 2555234

Boutique 1 Art Gallery | New exhibitions of paintings, photography, sculpture and installations each month. Boutique 1, JBR The Walk.
Telephone: +971 4 448 3444
Website: www.boutique1.com/art-gallery

Café Ceramique | Ceramic decoration and craft activities in a café-style environment. Perfect for kids. Festival City.
Telephone: +971 4 232 8616
Website: www.cafe-ceramique.com

Carbon 12 | Contemporary art: international and local artists, A1 Quoz 1, Street 8, Alserkal Avenue, Warehouse D37.
Website: www.carbon12dubai.com

Cartoon Art Gallery | Regional and international artists, illustrators, and cartoonists. 4B Street, Al Quoz 1.
Telephone: +9714 346 6467
Website: www.cartoonartgallery.org

Cuadro | Contemporary and modern art, DIFC.
Telephone: + 9714 425 0400
Website: www.cuadroart.com

Etemad Dubai | Contemporary art from America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Unit 12 Alserkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1.
Telephone: +971 4 346 8649
Website: www.galleryetemad.com

Green Art Gallery | International and Middle Eastern art. Al Quoz 1, Street 8, Al Serkal Avenue, Unit 28.
Telephone: +971 4 346 9305
Website: www.gagallery.com

Guy Flichy Gallery | Modern and contemporary art. Al Bastakiya, Bur Dubai.
Telephone: +971 50-5415392

Hunar Gallery | Locally owned gallery exhibits paintings, sculptures, metal works and ceramics. Street No. 49a Villa No. 6 Rashidiya.
Telephone: +971 4 286 2224
Website: www.hunargallery.com

Lawrie Shabibi Gallery | Contemporary art from the Middle East, North Africa, South and Central Asia. Unit 21, Alserkal Avenue, Al-Quoz.
Telephone: +971 4 346 9906
Websitewww.lawrieshabibi.com 

La Galerie Nationale | specialised in Original Art furniture made by top designers representing the 20th century. Unit 27, Alserkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1.
Telephone: +971 4 380 4652
Website: www.galerie-nationale.com

Marsam Mattar | Emirati art. Villa 21, St. 4b, Al Hudaibah 322, Satwa.
Telephone: +9714 3988331

Meem Gallery | Modern and contemporary Middle Eastern artists. Umm Suqeim Road, Warehouse 1, Al Quoz.
Telephone: +9714 347 7883
Website: www.meemartgallery.com

Miraj Islamic Art Centre | A museum, showroom and a showcase for creative art from Islam. Villa 582, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 3.
Telephone: +971 4 3941084
Website: www.mirajislamicartcentre.com

Mojo Gallery | Fine art and design. Unit 33 Al Serkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1.
Telephone: +971 4 347 7388

Opera Gallery | High-end contemporary paintings, photography, furniture, sculpture. Gate Village Building 3, DIFC.
Telephone: +9714 323 0909
Website: www.operagallery.com

Pro Art Gallery | Over 50 artists from 20 countries permanently on display. Palm Strip Mall, First Floor, Opposite Jumeirah Mosque.
Telephone: +9714 345 0900
Website: www.proartuae.com

Rotunda Gallery | The American University of Dubai's gallery space that shows student work, plus a range of artists from the UAE and abroad. Dubai Media City.
Telephone: +971 4 399 9000

Salsali Private Museum | Modern and contemporary artworks from Ramin Salsali’s private collection. Al Quoz 1, Road 8, Alserkal Avenue Complex, Unit 14.
Telephone: +971 4 380 9600
Website: www.salsalipm.com

Shelter | Creative community workspace and chill-out zone with a garden, library, cinema, café and store. Warehouse 30, Al Serkal, Al Quoz.
Telephone: +971 4 380 9040
Website: www.shelter.ae

Showcase Gallery | Showcase was one of the first galleries to be established in the UAE in the 1990’s. Unit 35, Alserkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz.
Telephone: +971 4 3790940
Website: www.showcaseuae.com

Tashkeel | Independent resource for artists and designers living and working in the UAE. Nad Al Sheba, Opp. Nad Al Sheba Police Station.
Telephone: +971 4 336 3313
Website: www.tashkeel.org

The Ara Gallery | Artists from the Arab world. Burj Plaza, Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai.
Telephone: +971 4 454 2784
Website: www.thearagallery.ae

The Courtyard Gallery | International art by world renowned artists. Al Quoz, Street 6.
Telephone: +971 4 347 9090
Website: www.courtyardgallerydubai.com

The Fridge | Music agency and a space for concerts, exhibitions, events, jamm-sessions and workshops. Warehouse #5, 26 Street, Blue Roof (KPS sign on the the front). 
Telephone: +971 4 347 7793
Website: www.thefridgedubai.com

The JamJar | Creative space that works to promote artists and support the development of Dubai’s arts scene. St. 17a, Comm 368, Between Habitat & Chevrolet Insportz, Behind Dubai Garden Centre.
Telephone: +971 4 3417303
Website: www.thejamjardubai.com

The Pavillion | Non-profit contemporary art space with restaurant, a cinema, a library, an espresso bar, a shisha café and lounge. Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai.
Telephone: +971 50 6441304
Website: www.pavilion.ae

The Third Line | Contemporary Middle Eastern artists. Al Quoz 3.
Telephone: +971 4 3411367
Website: www.thethirdline.com

Traffic | Mix of art genres: international with Middle Eastern, traditional with street art, and fine art with new media, plus space for concerts, film screenings and talks. 179 Umm Suqeim Rd.
Telephone: +971 4 3470209
Website: www.viatraffic.org

XVA Gallery | Contemporary art from the Arab world and Iran. DIFC.
Telephone: +971 4 3585117
Website: www.xvagallery.com

 

 
 

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