DUBAI.- Art Dubai opens March 18 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

Art Dubai offers the opportunity to engage with the work of more than 500 artists from the UAE, the region and the world across three gallery programmes: Contemporary, Modern, and Marker.

Alongside the gallery halls, Art Dubai presents an extraordinarily extensive not-for profit programming, including a series of dynamic commissioned site-specific works for Art Dubai Projects; an exhibition by winners of The Abraaj Group Art Prize; the critically-acclaimed, fiveday conference Global Art Forum; a live radio station; film and video screenings; The Sheikha Manal Little Artists Program for children and teenagers; plus an engaging programme of curator-led tours, book launches, talks and collateral events.

Art Dubai is held in partnership with The Abraaj Group and is sponsored by Julius Baer and Emaar. The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority is a strategic partner of Art Dubai, and supports the fair’s year-round education programme.

The largest annual showcase of artists from the Middle East, Art Dubai is the go-to event for the world’s most influential museum directors, curators, critics and collectors looking to connect with the region’s arts scenes.

At the same time, Art Dubai acts as the annual get-together for arts enthusiasts from the UAE and across the GCC, and the 2015 features the most extensive community programme to date. Art Dubai’s preview, Wednesday March 18, will feature the opening of ‘Fada'aat’, a special exhibition focused on UAE cultural heritage, presented by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

The fair opens for the public at 4pm on Thursday March 19, and continues through Friday and Saturday: all are welcome to attend Art Dubai at Madinat Jumeirah, and to join in the Art Week celebrations across the city and the UAE.

Innovation is also a theme that runs through Art Dubai 2015 – from the Global Art Forum’s focus on technologies, through to gallery booths presenting particularly ambitious multi-media exhibitions in the Contemporary halls.

Art Dubai 2015 also features an increased focus on performance: the curated Marker programme sees UAE-based actors and artists re-enacting performances by renowned Latin American artists, while the Absolut Art Bar includes nightly artists’ performances, as well as live music. Art Dubai Projects artists Jumana Emil Abboud and Rheim Alkadhi have created ongoing performance and durational work that are activated intermittently throughout the days of the fair and that interact with its environment.

Visitors can this year enjoy the most interactive programme to date with an extensive schedule of curator-led tours, talks, performances and talks. A feature of the collateral programme is RCA Secret Dubai, the anonymous postcard exhibition that is introduced by Paul Smith will include over 1000 unique works that will be made available for sale to the public for 500 AED each during Art Dubai on March 21.