"Louvre Abu Dhabi" Participation in the exhibition is open "Art of now 2026" And the Richard Mille Arts Prize
Abu Dhabi, 7 April / WAM / The Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum announced that it has opened the door for submitting project proposals to participate in the sixth edition of its contemporary art initiative, the “Art of Now 2026” exhibition, and the Richard Mille Arts Award, and expanding the scope of participation in them to include India and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in a way that reflects the long historical ties between the United Arab Emirates and India, based on exchange, coexistence, and common human values.
The museum invited artists from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (citizens and residents) and from India (citizens) to submit project proposals for the “Art of Now 2026” exhibition centered around the theme of “Tributaries,” which explores how the contemporary world is shaped by the interaction between history, cultures, and environments, and how a state of cultural cross-fertilization arises to contribute to the creation of spaces for exchange, interaction, integration, and transformation.
As part of this edition of the exhibition, the artists will work on preparing project presentations of large, site-specific artworks that interact with the outdoor spaces under the iconic dome of Louvre Abu Dhabi, starting with the Damascene Fountain and passing through a corridor leading to a shallow basin that encourages contemplation, all the way to the public wall artwork by artist Jenny Holzer.
The first edition of the “The Art of Now” exhibition was launched at Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2021, and it supports local and regional talent, highlights the vibrant artistic and cultural scene in the region, and continues to expand its scope across different geographical regions, providing a space for interaction between different cultures, and displaying narratives of human creativity that transcend the boundaries of individual cultures and civilizations.
The theme of this year’s edition, “The Tributaries,” is based on this vision. Culture is seen as being like the sea, not static or monolithic, but rather multi-layered and constantly evolving, and being reshaped through movement, encounter, and return.
This year’s exhibition theme addresses themes of migration, separation, nostalgia, and loss, as well as the concepts of acceptance, rebirth, and renewal, reminding us that the intersection of languages, foods, music, and diverse social practices represent some of our most important and richest cultural experiences.
The museum explained that the door for submitting project proposals is open until May 31, 2026, and that artists can submit their proposals through its website.
A distinguished jury will evaluate the proposals and select the works included in the shortlist, in preparation for commissioning the artists to implement and display them in the “The Art of Now” exhibition, which will open next November.
One of the nominated artists will receive the 2026 Richard Mille Art Prize, which is worth $60,000 and aims to support contemporary artists and highlight their creativity in line with the museum’s mission of strengthening ties between cultures and highlighting regional talent. The winner of the award will be announced next December.
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