Tourism Development & Investment Company and Abu Dhabi Tourism

Art Abu Dhabi

A culture-led brand and event experience designed to position Abu Dhabi on the global art stage

Art Abu Dhabi was conceived as a temporary cultural destination rather than a conventional art fair. From the outset, the ambition was to design a brand system capable of shaping the entire visitor experience, from arrival and navigation through to programming, merchandise, and digital engagement.

Working with Tourism Development & Investment Company and Abu Dhabi Tourism, we led the brand strategy, creative direction, and experience design for the fair. The challenge was to balance the equity of the Abu Dhabi master brand with a contemporary expression suited to an international art audience, while ensuring the identity could evolve year on year without losing coherence.

We developed a flexible visual system built around a distinctive graphic device, known as the wing, designed to act as a recognisable yet adaptable anchor across editions. To reinforce a sense of renewal and anticipation, the logo colour shifts annually, creating a clear visual marker for each year of the event while maintaining long-term brand recognition.

In collaboration with the event management partner, the identity was implemented across every touchpoint of the fair. This included environmental graphics and wayfinding, editorial programmes, print and out-of-home advertising, digital content, social media, website UX, and on-site signage. Particular focus was placed on spatial clarity and visitor flow, ensuring guests could move intuitively through exhibitions, talks, and performances while remaining immersed in a cohesive brand world.

To extend the experience beyond the exhibition halls, we created an annual artist collaboration programme inviting emerging Emirati artists and designers to reinterpret the wing in their own style. Selected works became central storytelling devices across the fair and were translated into limited-edition merchandise sold on site, adding a participatory and collectible layer to the visitor experience. The programme supported local creative talent while engaging more than 20,000 international attendees each year.

The Abu Dhabi Brand Office also participated in the fair through the Art Connections programme. We led the exhibition design and curation for a dedicated experiential space where designers interpreted the theme of change through original works. The installation added another cultural touchpoint to the fair, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s commitment to creativity, dialogue, and contemporary expression.

Together, the brand system, event design, and experiential programmes positioned Art Abu Dhabi as a confident, evolving cultural destination, seamlessly integrating identity, environment, and audience engagement into a cohesive world-class experience.