Art Basel held the first edition of Art Basel Qatar in Doha from February 5–7, 2026 (with preview days on February 3–4), marking the fair's first appearance anywhere in the Middle East. The event was staged across M7, Doha's creative hub, and the wider Doha Design District in Msheireb Downtown Doha.
Rather than the traditional booth format used at Art Basel's other fairs, the Qatar edition used an open-format exhibition built around a central curatorial theme, with dozens of galleries from more than thirty countries taking part — over half of the participating artists were drawn from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region. The fair was staged in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments and Visit Qatar.
For visitors, the fair added to an already busy stretch of Doha's cultural calendar around Msheireb Downtown Doha, alongside the city's existing museums and public art — including large-scale installations at sites like Al Zubarah and Brouq Nature Reserve tied to the fair's programme.
Source: Art Basel