Abu Dhabi starts new Saadiyat arts landmark

Abu Dhabi has begun work on Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi, a major performing arts centre on Saadiyat Island that is scheduled to open in 2030 and add more than 6,000 seats to the emirate’s cultural infrastructure.

The project, whose name means House of the Arts, was launched near the Saadiyat Cultural District during a site visit by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council. It has been commissioned by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and designed by the late Frank Gehry, the architect also associated with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

The venue is planned as one of the region’s largest and most technically advanced performing arts institutions. Its main multipurpose hall will seat more than 2,000 people and include the technical capacity needed for large opera, ballet, theatre and concert productions. The wider complex will also feature a 3,500-seat open-air amphitheatre, a 400-seat studio theatre and a 250-seat jazz venue, giving Abu Dhabi a range of spaces for international touring productions, experimental work and smaller-format performances.

Officials have positioned Dar al Funoon as a year-round cultural platform rather than a conventional theatre complex. Its planned programme covers opera, ballet, theatre, jazz, contemporary performance, artistic residencies, co-productions and touring partnerships with leading venues worldwide. The project is intended to support local and regional talent while also attracting international artists and companies to Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Khaled was briefed on the architectural concept, development phases, construction progress and technical facilities. The project’s design is described as being inspired by music and performance, with a transparent façade intended to reflect Abu Dhabi’s openness to creativity and cultural exchange. The building is expected to sit within the broader Saadiyat cultural ecosystem rather than operate as a stand-alone landmark.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said the project represented a long-term investment in artistic expression and cultural development. He described it as part of a wider effort to expand opportunities for cultural exchange and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a global centre for creativity and artistic excellence.

Dar al Funoon adds a performing arts anchor to Saadiyat Island, which has already become central to Abu Dhabi’s cultural strategy. The district includes Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The arrival of a large-scale performance venue broadens the island’s offer from museums and immersive art into live production, touring performance and music.

The timing also aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to raise annual visitor numbers to 39.3 million, increase tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product to AED90 billion and create 178,000 jobs across the sector by the end of the decade. Cultural tourism is a core part of that plan, alongside hotel expansion, improved air connectivity, events programming and destination marketing.

The project gives Abu Dhabi a new tool in the competition among Gulf cities to attract cultural visitors, creative-sector investment and global events. Riyadh, Doha and Dubai have all expanded their arts, entertainment and event infrastructure, while Abu Dhabi has pursued a more institution-led model centred on museums, heritage, architecture and long-term cultural programming.

For the performing arts sector, the scale of Dar al Funoon could help address a gap in the regional touring circuit. Major opera, ballet and theatre productions need advanced stage systems, large-capacity halls and specialised back-of-house facilities. The planned mix of a main hall, amphitheatre, studio space and jazz venue gives producers more flexibility and allows the emirate to host both mass-audience performances and curated smaller events.

The centre is also expected to support education and community engagement through workshops, interactive programmes and artist development initiatives. That element is important for Abu Dhabi’s aim of building a cultural ecosystem that is not limited to imported productions. The inclusion of residencies and co-productions suggests the venue will be expected to generate new work as well as host international shows.