Bahrain Announces Second International Art Fair

Building on the tremendous success of Bahrain’s first international art exhibition last year, which hosted acclaimed artists and galleries from across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Far East and Asia, the Kingdom is once again gearing up for its second art run under the umbrella of ‘Bahrain Art Across Borders’ 2017 (ArtBAB 2017). This event will be held from the 22nd - 26th of March 2017 at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre and hopes to attract attendees from its neighboring states interested to explore Bahrain’s fast-growing arts landscape.

With the regional arts industry gaining momentum and projected growth in this sector set to persevere, ArtBAB 2017 aims to capitalise on Bahrain’s status as a niche arts hub and provide a platform for local and regional artists to converge, collaborate, develop and grow, jointly fueling progress and helping to stimulate investment activity and sales. Qatar’s art scene is flourishing and there is some great talent emerging; Qatari artist representation at Bahrain’s second international arts exhibition would be a great stimulant for the local and regional arts industries to converge, inspire and learn.

This year, ArtBAB 2017 is spearheaded by Tamkeen, Bahrain’s semi-government arm mandated to drive private sector growth, and will be hosted under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty the King. International art investment and consultancy firm Art Select (a brand of Art and Spice) has been appointed to manage and execute the event.

Art Bahrain Across Borders 2017 supports Tamkeen’s strategic focus to turn local arts into a viable industry for Bahrain by fostering the growth of this sector regionally.

According to Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi, Chief Executive of Tamkeen, “As part of Tamkeen’s efforts in developing the private sector to contribute in the national economy, Tamkeen believes that the art sector has gained importance as an engine of economic growth, not only locally but across the region. We want to support this sector through initiatives such as ArtBAB, and we hope to steer the arts sector into new levels. The aim is to inspire the local and regional talent and promote art education and skills development by bridging our local artists with their regional and international counterparts, encourage collaborations and foster learning and development from the exchange of ideas with renowned names in the art field.”

According to recent industry studies, between 2014-2015, the Middle East witnessed a 5% growth in art sales compared with the US and European markets which were in the minus, and forecasts indicate this region will continue to pursue positive growth in the foreseeable future.

Expert international art investment consultancy Art Select, states that the regional art industry is going through a positive transformation driven by its vast talent and Bahrain is well-placed to facilitate growth on a regional scale and provide artists with niche opportunities to drive exposure and sales.

Mrs. Kaneka Subberwal, Founder of Art Select, stated “Bahrain stands firm in the region as a niche arts hub due to its rich culture and tremendous pool of artists that have for centuries inspired generations of talent. ArtBAB aims to strengthen this core and create a solid base to help propel the local and regional industry internationally through cross-border exposure, education and collaborations. Bahrain has an established database of international art collectors and individual investors who are always on the watch for exclusive opportunities and emerging talent and this has been key to driving and promoting the arts sector locally. ArtBAB will facilitate this link and act as a catalyst for greater regional investment, motivating this industry forward.”

ArtBAB will host reputed names from the region and from across the world. Key features will include a BAAB Pavilion exclusive to 30 Bahraini artists; a Gallery Arena to host up to 35 international and Bahraini galleries; an International Artists Pavilion to display the works of participating artists from across the world; and an art book shop and art merchandising and design section. A specially designed art and educational program titled ‘Talks@ArtBAB’ will also run parallel to the exhibition comprising talks by key artists and panel discussions.