Today's Edition
ASILA AL BADI (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi is emerging among the world’s most influential art hubs, with a growing collector base and a cultural vision that merges global ambition and local identity.
In a panel discussion held on Wednesday as part of Sotheby’s Collectors’ Week Abu Dhabi, leading figures in the industry shed light on how the UAE capital is shaping a new era of collecting and global exchange.
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a prominent patron and collector of the arts, said one of Abu Dhabi’s greatest strengths is the diversity of its collecting community.
The broad range of Abu Dhabi collectors’ interests is among the key factors that set them apart, His Higness said. “We are not focused on one category – our collections reflect the way the community is.”
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan noted that education, along with advisory support and critique, further strengthens practices, boosting collectors’ confidence while building their knowledge.
“In my opinion, we will reach a stage where local collections will end up in these big museums,” His Highness said, referring to major international museums.
In an interview with Aletihad, art adviser Hugo Nathan, co-founder of Beaumont Nathan, highlighted that collectors in Abu Dhabi stand out for their curiosity, appetite for learning, and pride in the cultural transitions taking place in the emirate.
The UAE capital has become a meeting point for the global cultural scene, especially during the art season, which featured one of the most influential editions of Abu Dhabi Art and the recent announcement of Frieze Abu Dhabi.
Nathan emphasised the importance of broadening one’s perspectives when it comes to choosing art pieces. “A great collection is international. Supporting young and regional artists should go hand in hand with engaging with art history and established global artists,” he told Aletihad. This approach has become easier as today’s technologies have made collecting more accessible than ever.
“The rise of digital platforms means people can build meaningful collections without seeing every work in person. That’s transformative for regions that don’t have auction hubs on their doorstep,” Nathan said.
The expansion of the collectors’ market is woven into a wider cultural transformation in Abu Dhabi, highlighted by the opening of several major landmarks — including teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and, just this Wednesday, the Zayed National Museum. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open next year.
The surge in global interest is also reflected in Louvre Abu Dhabi, which welcomed 1.4 million visitors last year, bringing its total attendance to seven million since opening.
Speaking to Aletihad, cultural strategist Lateefa Bin Hamoodah said: “Abu Dhabi is writing its own story — at a scale and speed the world hasn’t seen before.”
“We are witnessing a cultural landscape being built in real time,” she pointed out.
She said the city’s momentum this art season has been “unmistakable”, with key global figures choosing to be in Abu Dhabi even as major events took place worldwide. “You don’t feel the need to travel anymore; the art world is meeting in Abu Dhabi.”
The emirate is entering a pivotal stage of growth, where institutions, collectors, advisers, and cultural thinkers all come together, shaping a shared future.
“Abu Dhabi shows what cultural vision can achieve on a national scale, but individuals shape culture, too. Don’t stay on the sidelines — participate. When you give something to culture, culture gives something back,” Bin Hamoodah said.
