Louvre Abu Dhabi Opens Art Here 2026 and Richard Mille Art Prize Call for Proposals
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The museum has launched an open call for the sixth edition of Art Here 2026, inviting artists from the GCC and India to submit proposals under the theme “Confluences.”
Louvre Abu Dhabi has announced an open call for proposals for the sixth edition of its flagship contemporary art initiative, Art Here 2026, and the Richard Mille Art Prize, with submissions open until 31 May 2026 through the museum’s website.
The 2026 edition expands to India alongside the GCC, reflecting the longstanding ties between India and the UAE, rooted in exchange, coexistence and shared human values.
Artists from the GCC, including nationals and residents, as well as Indian nationals, are invited to submit proposals based on the theme “Confluences.”
The theme explores how the contemporary world is shaped by overlapping histories, cultures and ecologies, and how encounters can become spaces of exchange, friction, hybridity and transformation.
As part of this edition, artists are encouraged to create proposals for site-specific monumental artworks designed for the outdoor spaces beneath Louvre Abu Dhabi’s iconic dome.
The proposed route begins around the Damascene fountain and continues through a passageway toward a contemplative shallow pool and Jenny Holzer’s public art wall installation.
Launched in 2021, Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here has focused on championing local and regional talent while highlighting the vibrancy of the region’s art and culture scene. The initiative has also expanded across geographies, creating space for cross-cultural interaction and stories of human creativity that go beyond individual cultures and civilizations.
The idea behind “Confluences” reflects the view that culture, like the sea, is not static or singular, but layered and constantly evolving through movement, encounter and return.
The theme also engages with migration, separation, longing and loss, while speaking to acceptance, resilience and regeneration. It emphasizes that the intersection of diverse languages, food, music and community practices can produce some of the richest shared experiences.
An esteemed jury will review submissions and select shortlisted artworks to be commissioned for the Art Here 2026 exhibition, which is set to open in November 2026.
One of the selected artists will then receive the 2026 Richard Mille Art Prize, which carries a grand prize of 60,000 US dollars. The winner will be announced in December 2026.
