Gulf Warehousing Company (GWC) has been chosen as the official logistics partner for the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, marking the first time the world-renowned art fair is staged in the Middle East.
The fair will take place on February 5-7, in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+.
Art Basel is the world’s leading international modern and contemporary art fair, staging premier shows in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar, and is widely regarded as the global benchmark for excellence in the art market.
GWC will manage and deliver all fine art and high-value logistics for Art Basel Qatar 2026, supporting the fair’s operational requirements and ensuring the successful delivery of one of the world’s most prestigious cultural events as it makes its regional debut.
The partnership between Art Basel Qatar and GWC banks on the latter’s extensive experience and growing role in supporting museums, galleries, collectors, and cultural institutions in Qatar and internationally.
“Art Basel Qatar marks the first time this globally renowned fair is staged in the Menasa region, representing a significant milestone for the cultural landscape of this part of the world,” said GWC managing director
Sheikh Abdulla bin Fahad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani.
“We are proud to support its launch as the official logistics partner, leveraging more than 15 years of expertise in fine art logistics to ensure the success of this landmark event, hosted in Qatar for the first time,” he said.
The partnership builds on GWC’s established involvement in fine art and cultural logistics, including its collaboration with Qatar Museums’ commercial arm to develop the region’s largest fine art storage and logistics hub in Doha.
GWC Group chief executive Matthew Kearns said that delivering the first Art Basel fair staged in the region requires logistics capabilities that operate at the highest international standards.
“Our role extends beyond transportation to safeguarding the creative, cultural, and human value embodied in these works, a responsibility that demands precision, expertise, and absolute trust,” he said.
Alongside this mandate, and through its strategic partnership with QC+, Kearns said that “we are advancing plans to build the largest fine art logistics hub in the region, investing in the infrastructure and capabilities needed to position Qatar as a leading regional centre for fine art logistics and stewardship, delivered to the highest international standards”.
Art Basel Qatar 2026 will bring leading galleries, artists, collectors, and cultural leaders from around the world to Doha.
The fair will feature 87 galleries and exhibitors from 31 countries and territories, including 16 making their Art Basel debut, showcasing works by 84 international artists, establishing Art Basel Qatar as a major new cultural platform in the Menasa (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region and a powerful conduit to the Art Basel network worldwide.