Alserkal and Design Miami Announce Landmark Partnership to Establish Collectable Design Platform in Dubai
Dubai’s position as a global cultural capital continues to evolve, with a significant new announcement set to reshape the region’s relationship with collectable design. Alserkal, the Dubai-rooted cultural enterprise that has played a defining role in the city’s contemporary arts ecosystem, has partnered with Design Miami, the world’s leading international forum for collectable design, to launch a long-term platform dedicated to design excellence in the Middle East.
The multi-year partnership will introduce Design Miami to the region for the first time, anchored by a flagship fair in Dubai and a programme of ongoing, design-led activations beginning in early 2027. Together, the two organisations aim to establish a thoughtfully curated, regionally grounded yet globally connected platform that positions Dubai as a key destination for collectable design.
At a time when design is increasingly recognised as both a cultural and economic driver, this collaboration marks a significant milestone, not only for Dubai but also for the wider MENASA region.
Alserkal Avenue, Courtesy of Alserkal
A Shared Vision Rooted in Culture, Craft and Community
At the heart of the partnership lies a shared philosophy. Both Alserkal and Design Miami have spent the past two decades building communities around creative practice, fostering new narratives, and championing design as a lens for understanding culture, identity, and innovation.
Founded in 2007 by Emirati patron and business leader Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, Alserkal began with the transformation of a former industrial site into what is now Alserkal Avenue, one of the Middle East’s most influential cultural districts. Home to more than 100 artists, galleries, designers, non-profits and creative entrepreneurs, Alserkal Avenue attracts over two million visitors annually and has become a cornerstone of Dubai’s creative economy.
Design Miami, meanwhile, has spent twenty years shaping the global collectable design market. Since its founding in 2005, the fair has become synonymous with museum-quality furniture, lighting and objets d’art, presenting works from the world’s leading galleries alongside immersive collaborations with celebrated brands. With flagship fairs in Miami Beach and Paris, Design Miami has established itself as a critical meeting point for collectors, designers, curators and institutions worldwide.
The partnership between these two entities represents a natural convergence, aligning Design Miami’s international expertise with Alserkal’s deep understanding of regional context, audiences and cultural infrastructure.
Bottega Veneta, The Square, Dubai, 2022, Courtesy of Bottega Veneta
Dubai as a Global Destination for Collectable Design
The introduction of Design Miami to Dubai signals a strategic and symbolic moment for the city. Long recognised as a centre for architecture, luxury, art and design-led real estate, Dubai is now poised to strengthen its role within the global design circuit.
Shaped by perspectives from the UAE and the broader Middle East, the new platform will foreground context-driven curation, placing regional narratives in dialogue with international design discourse. Rather than replicating existing fair models, the initiative promises a layered approach, one that reflects Dubai’s unique cultural landscape while maintaining the rigorous curatorial standards for which Design Miami is known.
For collectors, this means access to museum-calibre design within the region. For designers and galleries, it offers an opportunity to engage directly with a rapidly growing audience of design-literate patrons. And for the city itself, it reinforces Dubai’s ambition to be not just a marketplace, but a thought leader within the global design ecosystem.
Quoz Arts Fest 2025, Courtesy of Alserkal Avenue
A Network Connecting Miami, Paris and Dubai
Describing the significance of the partnership, Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, Founder of Alserkal, emphasised the global reach of the collaboration:
“Alserkal’s partnership with the Design Miami brand is of global significance: by triangulating Dubai with Design Miami’s platforms in Miami and Paris, we have created a powerful network driven by our shared values. From today onwards, we are united in a single, forward-looking design vision.”
This triangulation establishes Dubai as an equal node within an influential international network, one that connects the Middle East to Europe and the Americas through the shared language of design.
Design as the Next Chapter in the Region’s Cultural Growth
For Vilma Jurkute, Executive Director of Alserkal, the partnership represents a natural evolution of the organisation’s mission:
“Partnering with Design Miami to launch this Middle Eastern debut is a natural trajectory not only for us as institutions, but for the cultural landscape we are part of. Alserkal has been instrumental in developing MENA’s arts ecosystem and its publics over the past 15 years, and we see design as the next chapter in that growth.”
Design, increasingly positioned at the intersection of art, architecture, craft and technology, plays a vital role in shaping how cities are experienced and understood. By introducing Design Miami to Dubai, Alserkal continues its commitment to expanding the region’s cultural vocabulary, challenging conventions while nurturing new audiences and creative practices.
Performance view: Joydeb Roaja at the opening of Fabric(ated) Fractures, Concrete, Dubai, 2019, Courtesy of Alserkal and Samdani Art Foundation. Photography: Tara Atkinson
A Platform for Global Exchange and Regional Voices
From Design Miami’s perspective, the collaboration offers an opportunity to deepen its engagement with a region rich in heritage, material culture and contemporary innovation.
Jen Roberts, CEO of Design Miami, highlighted the importance of the partnership’s regional sensitivity:
“Through this partnership, we see a great opportunity to exemplify our shared values and belief that design is a global language. Together, we can create a meaningful platform that celebrates both the region’s cultural heritage while highlighting its spirit of innovation.”
Rather than positioning the Middle East as a peripheral market, the initiative places regional voices at the centre of the conversation and acknowledges the UAE’s role in shaping future design narratives.
Jesse Lee, Chairman of Design Miami, echoed this sentiment, describing the partnership as a pivotal moment for both brands:
“Combining Design Miami’s two decades of expertise in shaping the collectable design market with Alserkal’s pivotal role in shaping the cultural landscape of Dubai, we will bring a distinct new design offering to the region.”
What This Means for the Middle East’s Design Landscape
The arrival of Design Miami in Dubai has implications that extend beyond a single fair. It reflects a broader shift in how design is valued within the region, not only as a commercial asset but also as a cultural force capable of shaping identity, discourse, and urban life.
For the Middle East’s growing community of designers, architects and collectors, the platform offers visibility, validation and connection. For international audiences, it provides a new lens for engaging with the region; one that moves beyond stereotypes to reveal a nuanced, design-literate cultural landscape.
As Dubai continues to invest in museums, cultural districts and creative infrastructure, this partnership reinforces the city’s long-term vision: to operate as a global crossroads where ideas, cultures and creative practices converge.
Exhibition view: Sterling Ruby at Concrete, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, 2022. Photography: Augustine Parades/Seeing Things
Looking Ahead to 2027 and Beyond
With the first Design Miami Dubai fair set to launch in early 2027, further details are expected to be announced over the coming months. What is already clear, however, is that this partnership represents a defining moment for collectable design in the Middle East.
By combining Alserkal’s deep-rooted cultural leadership with Design Miami’s international authority, the collaboration promises a platform that is ambitious, thoughtful and globally resonant, one that positions Dubai firmly on the world map of collectable design.
For the region’s collectors, creatives and cultural audiences alike, this marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
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