- GWC Managing Director: Strengthening Qatar’s position as a global hub for art and culture
- Partnership reflects GWC’s capability to deliver complex, high-value logistics to global standards
- GWC unveils plans to establish the region’s largest fine art logistics hub

Doha – Gulf Warehousing Company Q.P.S.C. (GWC), one of the leading logistics providers in the region, announced its official logistics partnership for the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, marking the first time the world-renowned art fair is staged in the Middle East. The fair will take place from 5 to 7 February 2026, in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+.

Art Basel is the world’s leading international modern and contemporary art fair, staging premier shows in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar, and is widely regarded as the global benchmark for excellence in the art market.

In this role, GWC will manage and deliver all fine art and high-value logistics for Art Basel Qatar 2026, supporting the fair’s operational requirements and ensuring the successful delivery of one of the world’s most prestigious cultural events as it makes its regional debut. The partnership reflects GWC’s proven ability to deliver complex, intricate logistics solutions to the highest international standards.

The strategic partnership between Art Basel Qatar and GWC reflects a shared commitment to excellence, precision, and global collaboration at the intersection of culture and logistics. It builds on GWC’s extensive experience and growing role in supporting museums, galleries, collectors, and cultural institutions in Qatar and internationally.

GWC Managing Director, Sheikh Abdulla bin Fahad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, said: “Art Basel Qatar marks the first time this globally renowned fair is staged in the MENASA region, representing a significant milestone for the cultural landscape of this part of the world. We are proud to support its launch as the Official Logistics Partner, leveraging more than 15 years of expertise in fine art logistics to ensure the success of this landmark event, hosted in Qatar for the first time.”

“Our engagement with Art Basel Qatar is another milestone in GWC’s journey, cementing our position as a global and regional partner of choice for high-value fine art logistics. It also underlines our commitment to supporting the arts, culture, and creative industries as drivers of sustainable development and economic diversification, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030,” Sheikh Abdulla added.

The partnership builds on GWC’s established involvement in fine art and cultural logistics, including its collaboration with Qatar Museums’ commercial arm to develop the region's largest fine art storage and logistics hub in Doha.

Matthew Kearns, GWC Group CEO, said: “Delivering the first Art Basel fair staged in the region requires logistics capabilities that operate at the highest international standards. Our role extends beyond transportation to safeguarding the creative, cultural, and human value embodied in these works, a responsibility that demands precision, expertise, and absolute trust. Alongside this mandate, and through our strategic partnership with QC+, we are advancing plans to build the largest fine art logistics hub in the region, investing in the infrastructure and capabilities needed to position Qatar as a leading regional centre for fine art logistics and stewardship, delivered to the highest international standards.”

GWC is the first company in the Middle East to receive accreditation from the International Convention of Exhibition and Fine Art Transporters (ICEFAT). The company provides highly specialised fine art logistics services that combine operational excellence with deep sector expertise, meeting the art industry’s rigorous requirements for security, precision, and reliability.

As part of its long-term strategy to build an integrated fine art logistics ecosystem, GWC’s planned fine art logistics hub will be located in the Ras Bufontas Free Zone and will provide museum-grade preservation, secure storage, and professional care for artworks and cultural assets. The facility will feature conservation laboratories, private and shared storage spaces, viewing rooms, and custom-bonded areas dedicated to specialised art handling.

Art Basel Qatar 2026 will bring leading galleries, artists, collectors, and cultural leaders from around the world to Doha. The fair will feature 87 galleries and exhibitors from 31 countries and territories, including 16 making their Art Basel debut, showcasing works by 84 international artists, establishing Art Basel Qatar as a major new cultural platform in the MENASA region and a powerful conduit to the Art Basel network worldwide.

About GWC Group
Gulf Warehousing Company Q.P.S.C (GWC) is Qatar’s number one logistics and supply chain solutions provider and a trusted industry leader across the GCC. Since its establishment in 2004, GWC has built a reputation for operational excellence, innovation, sustainability, and reliability. With a comprehensive regional network and advanced infrastructure, the company delivers seamless, technology-driven solutions covering warehousing, distribution, freight forwarding, transportation, and specialized logistics. GWC empowers businesses of all sizes, from entrepreneurs and SMEs to global multinationals, enabling seamless operations and sustainable growth. Notably, GWC was the first Regional Supporter and the Official Logistics Provider for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, showcasing its world-class capabilities on the global stage.

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About Art Basel
Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Art Basel today stages the world’s premier art shows for modern and contemporary art, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. Art Basel’s engagement has expanded through new digital platforms including Zero 10 and the Art Basel App, and initiatives such as the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report and Survey of Global Collecting, Art Basel Awards, and Art Basel Shop. For further information, please visit artbasel.com.

About Art Basel Qatar 
Debuting in Doha in February 2026, Art Basel Qatar will embed itself in Qatar’s vibrant cultural landscape and provide an unparalleled platform to showcase leading galleries and artistic talent from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and further afield. The new fair is the centerpiece of a one-of-a-kind partnership between Art Basel; its parent company MCH Group; Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), a major investor in sports, culture, entertainment and lifestyle; and QC+, a strategic and creative collective specializing in cultural commerce.