Abu Dhabi Children’s Biennale invites children to shape art through play

Abu Dhabi Festival's Children's Biennale will invite young visitors to touch and help shape artworks at Umm Al Emarat Park, with eight interactive installations scheduled from 6 November to 6 December 2026, Emirates News Agency (WAM) said.

The National gives the same exhibition dates. An Abu Dhabi Media Office announcement, however, placed the display in October 2026; it was not clear whether the schedule had changed.

Curated by Dana Almazrouei under the theme How the World Feels, the outdoor exhibition asks children to explore through physical interaction rather than observation alone. WAM said seven installations are new commissions, with works using sound, light, movement and touch to explore nature, biodiversity and Emirati heritage.

Several works will change as children take part. In Hana El-Sagini's Common Thread, Common Ground, sculptures evoke bones, coral and rocks, The National reported. Children can alter the work by tying, braiding and twisting ropes, making their play part of its evolving form.

Sarah Afaneh approaches participation through weaving. Her installation contains three tapestries inspired by the sun, sea and land as they appear in children's literature. According to The National, visitors will be able to add yarn in a weaving area, while Afaneh plans to keep working on one tapestry during the exhibition.

Nature also supplies the starting point for Moza Almatrooshi's bee-inspired installation. The National described colourful, six-sided structures accompanied by plants and palm fronds. Activities explore bees' vision, communication, foraging and construction, while workshops let children create pieces to exhibit inside the structures.

In Where Wishes Grow, Nada Almosa and UT-R Studio use three connected structures to gather children's memories, artworks and hopes for parks, The National reported. A flower-shaped table, shrub and wishing tree connect past, present and future. Their dimensions prioritise children's physical experience rather than an adult viewpoint.

The programme also brings an existing work into the park. Indonesian artist Eko Nugroho's Kenangan Kunang-Kunang (Memories of Fireflies) draws on lantern traditions from Eastern Java. WAM said National Gallery Singapore originally commissioned it for its children's biennale in 2019.

Abu Dhabi Festival, the flagship programme of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, is presenting the exhibition with National Gallery Singapore, Umm Al Emarat Park and Salayel Hospitality. WAM said school visits, workshops and family activities are also planned under the UAE's 2026 Year of Family.