UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF H.H. SHEIKHA SHAMSA BINT HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED AL NAHYAN
IN CELEBRATION OF THE UAE’S ‘YEAR OF FAMILY’
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE, UMM AL EMARAT PARK AND SALAYEL HOSPITALITY
OVERVIEW
Abu Dhabi Festival will debut the Arab world's first dedicated outdoor children's art biennale, running from 6 November to 6 December 2026 at Umm Al Emarat Park. Celebrating family values, togetherness and shared creativity through the power of the arts, the Biennale establishes Abu Dhabi as a leader in creating innovative cultural experiences for young audiences.
Guided by the theme ‘How the World Feels’, the Biennale will explore how children experience the world through touch, sound, movement and light. Each artwork will transform a walk through the park into a sensory journey that encourages curiosity, discovery and creative exploration. Children's perspectives are placed at the heart of the experience, recognising their voices not only through language but through their creativity, imagination and ways of engaging with the world.
PROGRAMME
Featuring creations by UAE-based artists and an international collaboration with National Gallery Singapore, the inaugural Children's Biennale will offer family sessions, workshops and an interactive guide – all designed to encourage creativity, environmental awareness and family bonding.
Curated by Dana Al Mazrouei, the Biennale brings together nine artists whose practices span sculpture, performance, textiles and more. The participating artists are Alia AlShamsi, Aya Afaneh, Hana El-Sagini, Moza Almatrooshi, Moza Almazrouei, MiraAlmazrooei, Nada Almosa and Sarah Afaneh, alongside Indonesian artist Eko Nugroho. Together, they will transform Umm Al Emarat Park into a space where audiences of all ages can encounter art through touch, sound, movement and light. Through open-ended experiences, children are invited to experiment, question, collaborate, imagine and create their own meanings.
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