Art district Warehouse421 takes shape in Abu Dhabi’s Al Mina

A small grove of uncharacteristic trees opposite Mina Zayed’s dhow yard is the only clue to the location of the city’s latest arts hub.

A converted warehouse that sits on one side of a small new urban plaza, Warehouse421 is the latest project from the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, the Abu Dhabi philanthropic organisation that funds art, culture, health and education projects throughout the capital and beyond.

The co-sponsor of the Qasr Al Hosn Festival and the UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the foundation hopes that its latest venture will act as a grass-roots “cultural destination” for the capital.

“We really want this to be one of the spaces where people can come and really engage with the arts, not just with exhibitions, but with workshops and lectures and a whole range of different activities,” says Angela Migally, the foundation’s executive director.

“Mina has always been one of the most vibrant places in Abu Dhabi, with its souqs and industry, warehouse and markets, and it has always attracted a really diverse range of people. We’ve tried to embody that in the warehouse and to attract people from all different walks of life, not just for the capital’s creative community but for people who might not normally go to high-end galleries.”

Original article by Nick Leech

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Art district Warehouse421 takes shape in Abu Dhabi’s Al Mina