Hub of burgeoning arts precinct Al Quoz, the Alserkal Avenue complex is the brainchild of local developer and arts patron Abdelmonem bin Eisa Alserkal. Roughly 20 galleries have turned high-ceilinged warehouses into pristine art spaces. Standouts include Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, which has lifted some of the Middle East's and North Africa's most promising talent from obscurity into the spotlight, and Carbon 12, which presents the gamut of work by international contemporary artists, many with roots in the Middle East.
Since late 2015, an extension in a converted marble factory has added more galleries, including the prestigious New York–based Leila Heller Gallery, the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation from Paris and regional pioneer Third Line.
Complementing the art spaces are artist and design studios, a cultural radio project, two community theatres and urban-style cafes. Free gallery tours are offered on Saturday afternoon; check the website for details. Note that galleries are closed on Friday and that many don't open until the afternoon on Saturday (despite their advertised times).
Al Quoz is a dusty and chaotic industrial area south of Sheikh Zayed Road between Downtown Dubai and the Mall of the Emirates.
