After postponing and reformatting its forthcoming fair due to the US-Israel war in Iran, Art Dubai has unveiled the full program for its “special edition.” Now in its 20th year, the event has reduced its scale by nearly 60 percent and will run from May 14–17 at its usual venue, Madinat Jumeirah.

In response to logistical disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as surging oil and gas prices which have significantly hampered airspace and commercial flights in the UAE, this year’s iteration of Art Dubai will feature only 50 exhibitors—less than half of the approximately 120 participants from 35 countries who were originally set to join before the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28. Among the current exhibitors, roughly two-thirds are locally based or maintain a regional presence, such as Dubai’s Leila Heller, Lawrie Shabibi, Tabari Art Space, and The Third Line; Jeddah’s ATHR Gallery; and Kuwait’s Hunna Art Gallery. A number of international dealers are expected to fly in, including Mexico City’s Labor Gallery and Paris’s Galerie Frank Elbaz. Additionally, the fair is augmenting its program with exhibitions, performances, screenings, installations, and new commissions organized in partnership with Alserkal Avenue and institutions like Art Jameel, the Dubai Collection, and the Sharjah Art Foundation.

In a statement, Art Dubai Group’s executive director Benedetta Ghione said, “This special edition will demonstrate the resilience of the UAE’s cultural scene as well as the power of collaboration, bringing together galleries, artists, and institutions at a time when that role of convening feels more important than ever.”

Meanwhile, the emirate’s Alserkal Art Week, which opened on April 18, has been extended into a month-long initiative running through May 18, to support the local art ecosystem. The expanded format presents gallery exhibitions, public art interventions, and talks, as well as a moving-image series co-commissioned and co-curated with Art Dubai.

Yuqian Fan is an editorial assistant at ArtAsiaPacific.