Art Dubai on Wednesday announced details and a new financial model for its modified “special edition” in May after postponing the fair by a month amid ongoing disruptions from the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

“Responding to the challenges that many galleries are currently facing, this edition marks the launch of an innovative risk-sharing model whereby galleries’ booth costs are payable based on success,” Art Dubai said in its announcement.

Organizers also announced that entry would be free for all visitors, indicating uncertainty of attendance and collector travel. Urgent Matter has reached out to Art Dubai for more information and additional comment.

The fair will run May 15–17 at Madinat Jumeirah, a luxury resort complex, with a preview on May 14. It will include more than 45 exhibitors, down from some 120 exhibitors expected to participate in the fair before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.

In its announcement, Art Dubai did not explicitly mention the war but said “current circumstances” led to the modified format.

The changes come as the war in Iran has disrupted flights, shipping routes and travel across the region, pressures that have already begun to affect how galleries move works and plan exhibitions, as Urgent Matter previously reported.

Art Dubai said the 2026 edition will foreground galleries and institutions with strong ties to the region with about 60% of participants drawn from the Middle East and surrounding areas, which suggests that logistical challenges or security concerns remain for international exhibitors.

“This special edition will demonstrate the resilience of the UAE’s cultural scene as well as the power of collaboration, bringing together galleries, artists and institutions at a time when that role of convening feels more important than ever,” Benedetta Ghione, executive director of Art Dubai Group, said in a statement.

“Current circumstances mean that this may not be what we had planned to mark our 20th edition, but the galleries and wider programs represent what makes Art Dubai both unique and special.”

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