Art Dubai, the most global of art fairs, opens its doors to the public today at Madinat Jumeirah and runs until Saturday March 21. The ninth edition of the fair is the biggest to date with 92 galleries from 40 countries.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the fair was graced by the presence of the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, at Tuesday’s preview.

Visitors can enjoy the fair’s diverse programming, including commissioned site-specific works for Art Dubai Projects; an exhibition by winners of The Abraaj Group Art Prize; the critically-acclaimed, five-day conference Global Art Forum; a live radio station; film and video screenings; The Sheikha Manal Little Artists Program for children and teenagers; plus an engaging schedule of performances, curator-led tours, book launches, talks and collateral events.

“We’re delighted to be able to open our doors to the public today, following a fantastic preview. The response from visitors has been extremely positive and the galleries are reporting strong sales,” says Antonia Carver Art Dubai Fair Director. “We are very thrilled to share such an extensive programme with the public this year, with exhibition tours, events and programmes for all ages and interests.”

Highlights from the weekend programming include:

Performances:

This year’s edition of Art Dubai sees increased focus on performance art across many areas of the fair. Art Dubai Projects artists Jumana Emil Abboud and Rheim Alkadhi have created ongoing performance and durational work that interact with the environment and happen intermittently throughout the day. Commissioned collective Umashankar & The Earchaeologists will be showcasing their performance piece on Friday March 20 at 4pm. By looking at how sound can influence our understanding of ancient—and contemporary—sites, their project attempts to provide an archaeology of listening that challenges the visually dominant reading of history.

Guests can also enjoy a musical performance by commissioned sound artists Fari Bradley and Chris Weaver. Colombian performance artist María José Arjona’s long durational performance work shows in the Contemporary halls as part of Art Dubai’s Marker programme, which this year focuses on Latin America.

The Global Art Forum:

Friday March 20 will be the last opportunity to visit The Global Art Forum which this year takes on the theme of technologies and their impact on the world of art and culture. Sessions run from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at the Mina A’Salam, Madinat Jumeirah and include a discussion with Laurent Gaveau from the Google Cultural Institute and the highly anticipated 89plus presentation. The session marks the launch of a two-year partnership with 89plus, the long-term, international, multi-platform research project co-founded by Simon Castets and Hans Ulrich Obrist, investigating the generation of innovators born in or after 1989. The presentation will be followed by a reception hosted by the project’s supporter Dubai Design District (d3).

The Sheikha Manal Little Artists Program:

The programme of artist-conceived projects for children, a partnership between Art Dubai and The Cultural Office, returns for the third year at Art Dubai. Discovery tours, scheduled every day of the fair between 2pm and 5pm, are designed to bring alive the galleries and exhibited artworks for children aged between 5 and 17.

Colombia-based commissioned artist Nicolas Paris is hosting workshops, titled ‘Unlearning’, which sees children and teenagers (aged 5-17) encouraged to tap into their imaginations via performance, drawing, poetry and conceptual art.

The full schedule of tours and workshops can be viewed on the Art Dubai website: http://artdubai.ae/2015/schedule