Your guide to the Abu Dhabi Festival 2026
The Abu Dhabi Festival returns in 2026 with “The Wisdom of Culture” theme, celebrating global arts and cultural exchange. Featuring over 1,000 artists from 19 countries, highlights include Grammy-winning Jon Batiste, HAUSER, the American Ballet Theatre, and world premieres like Algarabía. The festival runs from 12 April to 16 May 2026 across iconic Abu Dhabi venues.
Image courtesy of Abu Dhabi Festival
A programme of music, performance and cultural dialogue.
The Abu Dhabi Festival 2026 main programme ran from 12 April to 16 May 2026 and has now concluded. The Children's Biennale at Umm Al Emarat Park continues in October 2026, details below.
What is the Abu Dhabi Festival?
The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) presented the headline programme for the 23rd edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival, which ran from 12 April to 16 May 2026.
Held under the theme The Wisdom of Culture, celebrating culture as a guiding light that unites Abu Dhabi and the world. The 2026 edition brought together over 1,000 artists from 19 countries across a programme that spanned music, performance, visual art and education.
“Abu Dhabi Festival 2026 adopts ‘The Wisdom of Culture’ as its theme, reflecting the richness of Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage and reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that this vibrant culture serves as a lasting bridge for dialogue, exchange and the meeting of civilisations.”, said H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and patron of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF).
For more arts and culture events across the UAE, explore our art exhibitions guide.
Opening the Festival on 12 April, Grammy Award–winning musician Jon Batiste performed at Emirates Palace Auditorium, followed by a large-scale concert by cellist HAUSER at Etihad Arena on 2 May.
Throughout April and May, the programme will feature orchestras, ballet, opera, recitals and concerts at key cultural venues, including Emirates Palace and The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Among the highlights are performances by the American Ballet Theatre, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra’s Verdi Opera Gala, and a series of recitals by internationally recognised soloists. ADMAF will also present world and regional premieres, including Algarabía, a multidisciplinary production blending flamenco and Arab poetic traditions, first premiering in Spain before arriving in Abu Dhabi.
Beyond the performances, ADMAF continues to expand its international presence through the Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad programme. This includes Proximities, a major group exhibition showcasing works by Emirati artists from three generations, opening at the Seoul Museum of Art and marking one of the most comprehensive presentations of UAE contemporary art in Korea to date.
A key milestone in 2026 is the launch of the Children’s Biennale at Umm Al Emarat Park, the first outdoor biennale of its kind in the Arab world. Developed in celebration of the UAE’s Year of
The initiative centres on creative participation, sustainability and intergenerational engagement.
Missed this edition? Read our coverage of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale for more of the region's landmark cultural events.
When is the Abu Dhabi Festival?
12 April to 16 May 2026
Children’s Biennale: October 2026
Where is the Abu Dhabi Arts Festival?
Multiple venues across Abu Dhabi, including Emirates Palace, Etihad Arena, The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi, Umm Al Emarat Park and international venues through Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad.
Visit: abudhabifestival.ae
Explore more of our guides across the UAE and GCC.