Short Description
Art Connects Women is a groundbreaking global initiative dedicated to empowering female artists, fostering gender parity in the creative industry, and positioning UAE as a leading art and cultural hub. Launched in 2017, this annual platform has grown into a powerful movement, bringing together women artists from over 100 countries to showcase their work, engage in cross-cultural dialogues, and advocate for gender equity in the arts.
Beyond an exhibition, Art Connects Women serves as a catalyst for change—offering opportunities for mentorship, capacity-building, and professional growth. With a strong commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the initiative champions women’s empowerment, cultural sustainability, and economic inclusion.
Following seven successful runs since its inaugural edition in 2017, under the patronage of UNESCO, Art Connects Women (ACW) will once again take centre stage as the largest leading women art exhibition in UAE and the surrounding regions. Organized by ZeeArts Gallery from the 8-11th February 2026, Dubai will play host to an extensive array of art works by women artists from across the world.
The 4-day art extravaganza aligns its purpose with that of International Women’s Day, thus centering its intentions on providing the most optimal women representation in the art sector while taking greater strides in empowering the female gender in achieving new heights – all these to be activated on a global scale. 2026 coming year, the management of survivability will take a back seat to the work of renewal, growth, and progression. 2026 year’s theme of Art Connects Women is “Educate to Empower”; through the theme, artists will explore how their art can create a lasting, meaningful impact on the world and their future generation by supporting SDG 4- Quality Education
The premiering night welcomes artists from across disparate cultures, nationalities, and social backgrounds to mingle and busk in the concentration of creative finesse that pervades the halls. All things good in history remain documented for future generations to reference, and it is no different for the annual Art Connects Women initiative. Each artist will have their artwork perpetuated within a hardback art book entitled Women Artists around the World — now on to its 7th volume. These books will remain in the private collections of the Art Connects Women stakeholders, public showcase in libraries, as well as distributed to the artists.
Exhibition Theme
The 9th edition of Art Connects Women (ACW) takes inspiration from the landmark UNESCO World Conference on Culture and Arts Education, held in Abu Dhabi from 13–15 February 2024. This pivotal gathering led to the creation of the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education, reinforcing the belief that arts and culture are not only central to human expression but also essential tools for shaping sustainable, inclusive, and innovative societies.
In this spirit, ACW 2026 embraces the theme “Educate to Empower”, highlighting the transformative role of education in unleashing human potential. Education—formal, informal, and experiential—has the power to open doors, dismantle barriers, and equip women with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive. Within the creative industry, education is more than knowledge transfer: it is about nurturing imagination, building resilience, and empowering women artists to lead, innovate, and influence.
Eligibility
Throughout history, the paucity of women-artist representations has been an impediment in the bid towards diversification within the art world. As we attempt to realign the skewed perspectives of gendered narrations in the institution of art, ZeeArts has put together a compendium of women artists on a global scale across 5 continents (Europe, Middle-East & Africa, Asia, Americas, and Oceania).
How to Apply
Online Application
Entry Fee
None
Location
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 31 October 2025
- Exhibition Date: 8_11 February 2026
Website Link: https://www.artconnectswomen.com/
