The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced the dates and theme for the second edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial (PAAD), set to open in Al Ain on October 23, 2026 and in Abu Dhabi on November 15, 2026.
The event will transform public spaces across both locations
into platforms for artistic expression and community engagement.
Curated under the artistic direction of Elvira Dyangani Ose,
former Director of MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona), the biennial
adopts the theme “Home: A Glossary for a Communal Sense of Place.”
It explores the idea of ‘home’ as a shared, evolving, and
collective experience rather than a fixed location.
The edition will feature distributed commissions,
research-led projects, and public interactions designed to integrate art into
everyday environments.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2024–25 edition, it
continues to support long-term installations and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s growing
public art collection.
DCT Abu Dhabi said the initiative reinforces public art as a
civic practice that fosters dialogue, participation, and cultural exchange
while contributing to the emirate’s long-term creative and cultural
development. -TradeArabia News Service
