Where can I sell my paintings in Dubai?

This is a question that I get asked quite a lot from people already living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi or those wishing or planning to come and live over in the United Arab Emirates. There are a lot of artists in Dubai and the surrounding areas both professional and amateur who are looking to make some money from selling their paintings.

If you are a professional artist with a good reputation then you may be able to sell your paintings in one of the many galleries in Dubai but for most people this is unlikely to be an option.

The first place I would suggest you go if you want to sell your paintings in Dubai is to one of the Arte (Artisans of the Emirates) markets. They hold markets in various locations a few times a month and many amateur and professional artists try and sell their work here. You can find more info on their website here.

My advice would be to go to one of the markets first as a visitor and speak to one of the people who runs it (Miriam or Paul) and also some of the artists who are already selling there. Then you will get a good idea of what kind of art is sold and how to display it. Making contacts with other artists means that you might also find out about other markets and fairs.