As Art Dubai 2010 gets underway, get ready for an exciting year of new art from great artists from all over the world. This year’s fair has over 70 galleries featuring artists from 30 countries which means you’re sure to find something you’ll love. Media coordinator REEM FEKRI tells us a little bit more about Art Dubai and the 8^th edition of the journal:

What are the specific goals of Art Dubai as a particularly Middle Eastern/South Asian showcase?

There are many goals of Art Dubai, the main is to showcase some of the best contemporary art around the world and in particular, the MENASA region. The UAE is fast becoming a hub for the cultural and creative industries, and we can only hope that the fair drives this and helps push it forward

What is the goal of the journal?

The journal is a non-for-profit initiative by Art Dubai. Its goal is to reach our global audience with regards to the contemporary arts in the region. It enables us to feature and interview artists, curators, writers and so forth that work or are from the MENASA.

What has the response been to the journal?

We have had a fantastic response to the journal. Every time a new edition goes out, our inboxes are flooded with people commenting on various features – almost always positive, which is great. Laura Trelford and Stephanie Sykes, who are the co-editors, always have great input into the journal, and because they manage different parts of the fair, their input is always varied and unique. The journal wouldn’t happen without them.

New for to the fair this year are contributions from countries like Chile, Mexico, and Hungary as well as Bidoun Projects having taken over Art Park. They will be hosting a series of talks, commissioned tours, performances, and film screenings. There’s something for everyone, even workshops for families so be sure go and have a look for yourself. The fair is open to the public March 18^th, 2010 until March 20^th 2010.

Abraaj Capital Art Prize Nominee, Kader Attia's "hostory of a Myth: The Small Dome of the Rock"

Text by ELIZABETH PASQUALE

Images courtesy of WWW.ARTDUBAI.AE