• Anchored in Dubai, the partnership is intended to expand into the wider Middle East
  • The collaboration will launch in early 2027, with a platform for the best of collectible design, featuring a flagship event and year-round programming
  • The partnership is committed to showcasing collectible design from the region and creating opportunities on the global stage

Alserkal, a cultural enterprise rooted in Dubai and active globally, and Design Miami, the leading international forum for collectible design, have announced a partnership that will bring Design Miami to the Middle East. The collaboration will launch a jointly developed platform in the region for collectible design, featuring a flagship event and year-round programming, beginning in early 2027 in Dubai.

The partnership with Design Miami marks Alserkal’s continued commitment to pioneering socially responsible and forward-thinking cultural initiatives in the region and beyond. Alserkal will build on Design Miami’s 20-year experience of convening leading galleries, collectors and practitioners as the global forum for collectible design. Shaped by perspectives from the UAE and the wider Middle East, and a commitment to thoughtful, context-driven curation, the alliance will bring together a like-minded community of designers, collectors and leading creative voices. Together, Alserkal and Design Miami will create a platform for a global exchange of ideas, establishing Dubai as an international destination for collectible design. The initiative will feature a range of year-round activities, including opportunities for learning, and community dialogue.

Grounded in Alserkal’s and Design Miami’s shared values of community-building and nurturing visionary designers and creative pioneers, the partnership sees two organisations that have each been instrumental in shaping design and cultural expression, locally and globally over the past two decades, collaborate to realise their vision for collectible design from the region. Starting with the transformation of a former industrial site in 2007, Alserkal has developed one of the region’s most dynamic cultural districts, establishing a trusted home for artists, designers, entrepreneurs and cultural practitioners. Known for championing experimentation, new perspectives and unconventional thinking, Alserkal has cultivated a creative ecosystem that continues to inform cultural life in Dubai and the UAE.

Founder of Alserkal, Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal says “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.”

Executive Director of Alserkal, Vilma Jurkute says: “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. Our layered approach allows us to challenge the conventional through the diversity of forums and narratives we co-present. This collaboration brings together two entities who have built their reputation and credibility globally to create and shape Design Miami in Dubai in the context of our city and region.” 

Design Miami CEO, Jen Roberts says: “Alserkal has played a crucial role in building and shaping an international creative district in Dubai. 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—a platform to connect the global networks of collectors and designers we have built over the years.”

Design Miami Chairman, Jesse Lee says: “This partnership marks a key moment for both our brands, combining Design Miami’s two decades of expertise in shaping the collectible design market, with Alserkal’s pivotal role in shaping the cultural landscape of Dubai. Together, we will bring a distinct new design offering to the region.”

Further details will be announced over the coming weeks and months.

About AlserkalAlserkal is a cultural enterprise rooted in Dubai and active globally, shaping contemporary culture and advancing the creative economy across the MENASA region and beyond. Founded in 2007 by Emirati business leader and patron Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, the organisation began with the transformation of a former industrial site into Alserkal Avenue, now one of the region’s leading destinations for contemporary art and community engagement. Through its three pillars, the Arts Foundation, the Advisory strategic consultancy and the Cultural Districts, Alserkal champions alternative thinking and experimentation, fostering collaboration and new cultural narratives that drive long-term civic and cultural impact.

www.alserkal.online
@alserkalofficial

About Design Miami

​Design Miami provides a global platform for extraordinary collectible design through activations featuring a global network of galleries, designers, brands, experts, collectors, and enthusiasts. Each Design Miami fair features museum-quality 20th and 21st century furniture, lighting, and objets d’art from the world’s top, expertly vetted galleries, in addition to showcasing immersive design collaborations with celebrated brands. Founded in 2005, the brand’s flagship Miami Beach fair takes place each December. More recently, Design Miami has expanded its global design forum to incorporate localized event formats, including its Paris fair, hosted in a locally-specific architectural setting each October; and Design Miami.In Situ, designed to offer regionalized experiences that celebrate and cultivate local design communities.