Art Basel chooses Qatar for its Middle East launch

Following Basel, Miami, Hong Kong, and Paris, Art Basel announced Tuesday, May 20, that it has chosen Qatar to launch a new annual art fair. This choice confirms the Gulf country's rise in the modern and contemporary art sector, after having "consolidated its position as a global cultural hub thanks to the creation of prestigious museums and initiatives such as design and photography festivals," reports Al-Jazeera .

Starting in February 2026, the prestigious institution will organize the first Middle Eastern edition of its art fair, the largest in the world, in Doha, in conjunction with its partners within the government agency Qatar Sports Investments and the Qatari company QC+. Artists and galleries from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia will be particularly highlighted.

“The addition of Doha as Art Basel’s fifth city reflects our ambition to expand our cultural influence around the world, particularly in a region experiencing an increasingly vibrant artistic movement,” said Andrea Zappia, CEO of MCH Group, Art Basel’s parent company.

“We view cultural investment as a form of empowerment and a way to tell our own stories and shape our identity on the international stage. Art Basel Qatar will support artists who tell our stories, reflect the depth of our culture, and transform the way the world sees us,” Princess Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, chairwoman of the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA), told Al Jazeera .