The International Art and Antique Expo 2006 Dubai - a meeting place of the international art world

Dubai's most awaited event on the cultural calendar will be held at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from April 19 to 21, 2006.

Organized by Global Links Exhibitions & Conference Organizer, the event is being held under the patronage and support of the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing - Government of Dubai, Dubai Cultural Council, and the Emirates Fine Arts Society.

In addition to art and antique lovers and collectors, the international art event is expected to attract over 4,000 visitors comprising art and antique collectors, art critics, investors, institutional buyers from museums, cultural foundations and hotels, interior decorators and designers, artists, traders, photographers, auctioneers, culture foundations and ministries of culture and information.

'Going by the response from the exhibitors and enquiries made by art collectors, the event represents an ideal platform that will propel Dubai to the top league of the art capital in the region.' said Girish Dabrai - Managing Director, Global Links Exhibitions & Conference Organizer.

'In addition to existing demand, the region's buoyant economic indicators will see more and more collectors willing to pay at auctions record prices for paintings, antiques and other dated collectibles. This is a testimony to the fact that antiques as all premium offerings represent a highly attractive investment with lucrative returns,'

he added.

The rare and beautiful are commonplace at this prestigious annual event and this year's show will be no exception with antiquities, decorative art, paintings, rare tiffany lamps, textile art and antique carpets, sculptures, ethnic jewelry, antique tapestries, ancient furniture, English antique furniture from the 18th century, and some of the finest antiques and antiquities from ancient, medieval and primitive era on the display. The exhibition will provide the opportunity for art and antique professionals to see, to invest in and to evaluate the market, helping to expand the collector market by reaching out to new collectors and art enthusiast.

'In an age of mass production, many potential buyers and collectors simply cannot spare the time to travel around seeking out treasures. The International Art & Antique Expo 2006 offers the opportunity to buy beautiful, one-off pieces from an unparalleled selection of styles and periods.' says Sarita Lakhiani, Project Executive, Global Links Exhibitions & Conference Organizer.

She also added, 'People are becoming more and more conscious about aesthetic settings that complement the elements and moods that they want. With Dubai's demographic profile becoming increasingly cosmopolitan, the event has come at an appropriate time when many people want their homes to have an exclusive array of art and rare collectibles.'

The international event will feature some of the biggest names from the art capitals of the world - Royal Athena Gallery, Diner Gallery, Clinton Howell antiques from the USA, Galerie Adriana Schmidt from Germany, Tolman Collection from Japan, Iris Antique Globes and Maps, Kunsthandel Ivo Bouwman, Latin Art Gallery from Netherlands, Hassan Maktabi & Sons from Lebanon, Atlante Tapices Arte textile from Spain and the private art collection of Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi from the United Arab Emirates.