History

About Abu Dhabi Festival

Established in 2004, Abu Dhabi Festival acts as a time of celebration but also as a time of gathering and exchange for the different communities ADMAF serves:

The population of the Seven Emirates of the UAE, the region and the world.

Abu Dhabi Festival is the time and the place where the year’s work is shared, where new encounters are orchestrated and new ideas are forged, where long-trusted partners visit, new collaborations shape, and where artists and audiences connect.

Commission, produce, preserve and present the greatest music and art experiences in the UAE and beyond

Nurture invaluable cultural dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding to build a more peaceful future through the arts

The Festival positions Abu Dhabi as a leading destination for culture and the arts

The founder

H.E. Huda
Alkhamis-Kanoo

Founder, Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF)

Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival

Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo is a patron of the arts who has dedicated her life to inspiring artists to create, generations to innovate and communities to unite and prosper. She worked tirelessly to found the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) in 1996 and is also the Artistic Director of the jewel in its crown, the Abu Dhabi Festival, which she established in 2004.

ADMAF

The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation

Founded in 1996, ADMAF is one of the oldest, cultural organisations in the region. Pioneering new artistic practices, it seeks to deepen global cross-cultural dialogue and inspire a renewed interest in the creativity of the UAE and Arab world. Often in partnership with leading national and international institutions, it delivers multidisciplinary initiatives for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities through the Abu Dhabi Festival, year-round youth platforms and community programmes.

Our mission

Established in 2004, Abu Dhabi Festival acts as a time of celebration but also as a time of gathering and exchange for the different communities ADMAF serves:

The population of the Seven Emirates of the UAE, the region and the world.

Abu Dhabi Festival is the time and the place where the year’s work is shared, where new encounters are orchestrated and new ideas are forged, where long-trusted partners visit, new collaborations shape, and where artists and audiences connect.

Commission, produce, preserve and present the greatest music and art experiences in the UAE and beyond

Nurture invaluable cultural dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding to build a more peaceful future through the arts

The Festival positions Abu Dhabi as a leading destination for culture and the arts