The leaders of the Middle East’s art community, including artists, gallerists, curators and collectors are set to take part next week in Art Dubai 2012, highlighting the increasing global significance of art from the Arab world.

Now in its sixth year, Art Dubai has attracted some of the leading art spaces from the GCC, Levant and North Africa as well as international galleries representing artists from these key creative communities.

The Global Art Forum, Abraaj Capital Art Prize, Artists-in-Residence (A.i.R. Dubai) programme, Forum Fellows and a number of Art Dubai’s other programmes provide an essential meeting point where artists, curators and creative practitioners of the Middle East engage in cultural exchange with Asia, Europe and the Americas.

"With more than 500 artists involved with the fair, half from the Arab world, Art Dubai is the preeminent showcase of artists and galleries from the region," said Antonia Carver, fair director.

"March is the time of year when the art world descends on the Gulf, and when Dubai comes alive with three art and design fairs, more than 40 gallery exhibitions, special projects, and must-visit events: it’s a unique platform which celebrates the outstanding creativity and innovation of the arts scenes across the region.”

The Global Art Forum expands to six days in 2012, starting at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar on March 18 and 19 before continuing at Art Dubai from March 21 to 24 at Madinat Jumeirah.

Art Dubai 2012’s gallery roster – with 75 galleries from 32 countries -- features both newcomers and returning fair veterans from the region, while Saudi Arabia’s Athr Gallery returns to Art Dubai for the third year.

Lebanon’s dynamic art scene makes a strong showing at Art Dubai, with 36 artists and six galleries. Two of Syria's most prominent galleries will also return to Art Dubai.

Art Dubai 2012 sees a strong showing from North Africa with a multitude of artists and galleries coming from Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. Works by five Algerian artists will be shown through an assortment of top international galleries.

A trend which continues at Art Dubai 2012 is the representation of Arab and Iranian artists by leading international galleries, highlighting the increasing significance of art from the region in the global market.  More than 40 Arab artists will be shown at Art Dubai by galleries from London, New York, Paris, Zurich and beyond.

“Art Dubai 2012 provides a critical meeting point for the international art world to engage with the Middle East’s cultural community through dialogue, exhibitions, and specially-created programmes,” Carver said.

“More than 60 museum groups and an ever-broadening community of collectors and art opinion leaders take part in Art Dubai alongside students and families, and all of these participants create a rich and culturally diverse fair for the region and the wider world,” added Carver. – TradeArabia News Service