Dubai’s position as the emerging principal art market centre in the Middle East has been enhanced today by the announcement that a new fair will be held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) in December.
The Great Art and Antiques Fair, organised by Turret Middle East, will cover everything from high value classical art and antiques to contemporary and abstract sculpture.
The exhibition is open to the public and is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors and 200 exhibitors. Running in parallel to the International Watch and Jewellery Show from 12th to the 15th of December 2007, organisers are confident the event will present a stunning spectacle.
For Dubai World Trade Centre, the choice of DICEC as host of the new show for the fast-growing art market confirms the venue’s position as the natural home of prestigious exhibitions in the Middle East.
“Dubai World Trade Centre works carefully with organisers to ensure that the shows that we host offer the best possible point of entry for their respective industries. For the art market – where quality and authenticity are essential assets – we wanted to work with exhibitions that could provide the best possible experience for visitors, and we’re confident that these shows will offer that,” said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre.
The decision to stage the event in Dubai underlines how important the region has become to the global art and antiques market.
In recent months London’s major auction houses have reported a boom in sales of impressionist and modernist works of art, attributed to the rise of a new group of wealthy collectors based in the Middle East, Russia and South Asia, while the global demand for Arab and Islamic art has reached record levels.
Visitors to The Great Art and Antiques Fair will also be able to admire and purchase a wide-ranging number of exhibits including collections of prints, posters and porcelain. There will also be workshops on antique evaluation, and seminars on ‘Collectibles as an Investment.’
“Art has been highlighted by the UAE Government as fulfilling an important role in safeguarding the heritage and traditions of the region”, said Richard Hease, chairman of Turret Middle East. “Our aim is to showcase local, regional and international artists and dealers to a market which is growing rapidly.”
The Great Art and Antiques Fair will be held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from December 12th to 15th 2007.
