To outsiders, Dubai may sparkle with skyscrapers and supercars, but insiders know the city’s true magic is shaped by its behind-the-scenes set – the people shaping Dubai’s cultural scene and steering its momentum. Beyond the spotlight, a constellation of tastemakers and creative catalysts is constantly redefining the city’s global allure. Be it gallerists with a knack for spotting the next big thing to nightlife founders who know how to choreograph a room, this group forms the city’s quiet power set – its cultural ringmasters, if you will. Dubai would still shine without them, but with them, it dazzles like nowhere else on earth. So who are today’s movers and shakers?
Big news in the art world: Dunja Gottweis, late of Art Basel’s top table, has been parachuted into Dubai to take the reins at Art Dubai. With a glittering CV that spans Vienna’s MAK to launching fairs in Hong Kong and Paris, she knows exactly how to make a stage sing. Expect her to sprinkle Basel-grade stardust on the long-established art fair and give it the cultural cut-through it deserves. Just in time, now Abu Dhabi's flagship art fair is being rebranded as Frieze Abu Dhabi from 2026… @artdubai
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Step forward, Sultan Al Darmaki, the man giving Dubai’s creatives a clubhouse of their own. Since co-founding 1833 in 2023, the members’ club has gathered a loyal Soho House-esque mix of artists, founders, chefs and PR professionals, all of whom have been setting the tempo for Dubai’s cultural future over suppers and group outings. With his mix of flair, graft and vision, Al Darmaki is quietly, and charmingly, setting the standard for what a true Gulf creative community can be. Quite easily, one of the people shaping Dubai’s cultural scene. @1833.club
Consider Honeycomb Hi-Fi the official afterparty for the D3 set. Dreamed up by Varun Khemaney and Khalil Dahmash, the duo that gave Dubai Miss Lily’s and Indochine, the city’s first listening bar (think Japanese izakaya meets high-fidelity sound), is full of designers, DJs and fashionistas. Living up to its name, Honeycomb Hi-Fi is the buzziest spot in town. @honeycombhifi
One of Dubai's more chilled people, Ramie Murray may be as laidback as they come, but his Dibba Bay Oysters are pure homegrown glamour. As the UAE focuses on food security, this is perhaps its chicest iteration. Straight from the sparkling waters between the Hajar Mountains and the Indian Ocean, chefs and party planners across the city can barely hide their delight at having world-class, locally grown oysters on their doorstep. @dibbabay
Forget stocks and bonds, Yousuf Gargash trades in joy. The Emirati horology expert has masterfully expanded his remit from rare Patek Philippes to the thrilling world of trading cards and collectibles. With a knack for knowing what’s next, he’s become Dubai's most delightful dealer in desirability. Gargash’s community of enthusiasts appreciate a vintage Rolex as much as a holographic Charizard.
Al Barari’s discerning residents now have an essential new address. Fin & Bone is Madani’s answer to Fortnum’s food hall, offering the kind of impeccable ingredients – Japanese Wagyu, heritage meats, Scottish langoustines – that enthusiastic home cooks will travel for. Alongside the fresh produce is a cornucopia of larder must-haves, including house-made butters, pickles, rubs and mayonnaise. @finandbone.ae
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As global luxury markets face headwinds, the Middle East is having a moment (we hear Louis Vuitton’s make-up launch has been a roaring success in the market despite the vertiginous prices). Founder of advisory firm Avenue Fifty Two, Rokny has become the go-to expert for any marque looking to navigate and scale in the Gulf. She dispenses advice with buoyant confidence, buoyant hair and a serious black book of contacts. @avenue_fifty_two
Artist and curator Ambika Hinduja Macker operates at the intersection of Dubai’s ambition, India’s dynastic creativity, and the international art world’s brightest talents. From her DIFC base, she connects wealthy patrons and a global roster of artists (think Matthieu Lehanneur or Joseph Walsh) through her multidisciplinary studio and impeccably curated shows. Artists with an interest in the Gulf need to be in Hinduja Macker’s orbit. @impeccableimagination
Every great club has its secret weapon, and The Arts Club Dubai has Leila-Maria Faddoul. As the club's Head of Cultural Programme, she’s pulling in fascinating speakers to ensure Dubai's most influential minds remain the city's best conversationalists. That great dinner party anecdote you just heard? It probably came from one of her evening talks. @theartsclubdubai
As one of the UAE’s first modern homegrown artists, Rami Farook helped build Dubai’s art scene, and his recent acquisition by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi has cemented his legacy. For a taste of his scene-shaping presence, head to his Al Barsha enclave, Maisan15. Having just celebrated its seventh birthday, this beloved gallery-café remains a space where the art community gathers for Yemeni shakshuka and in-the-know conversation. @ramifarook
Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue now has a part of Beirut’s creative soul. After 18 years crafting magic in Lebanon, the ever-tasteful duo Aida Kawas and Frank Luca have brought their concept store Orient 499 to Dubai's cultural hub. An ode to refined living, it handily fills the void left by The Odd Piece’s departure. @orient499
In the gossipy world of art and design, it's not often that there's a true “didn't see that coming” moment, but the end-of-year announcement that Design Miami and Alserkal Avenue were partnering sent waves through the UAE's culturally switched-on. Perhaps it shouldn't have come as such a surprise. The enterprising team at Alserkal are renowned for its cultural placemaking skills, none more so than Gilda Gilantash, who leads year-round partnerships and third-party events. @alserkalavenue
Chef Izu's hyperkinetic personality seems well-suited to the extraordinary pace and competitive nature of Dubai's hospitality scene. A one-man culinary hitmaker, Izu's stardust means a night in DIFC or J1 isn't complete without a visit to Gaia or Sirene. The best seat in the house? You'll find that in Izu's actual home, where he's installed a voluminous amount of restaurant-grade kitchen equipment and is planning to auction off cooking lessons and dinners, all in the aid of good causes. Sign us up. @chefizu
Place-making, world-building, cultural hub. Easy to promise, hard to deliver, but that's exactly what the team at ICD Brookfield Place have achieved. Ably led by Arts and Events director Malak Abu-Qaoud, the Norman Foster-designed building is constantly alive with programming. Most impressive is Abu-Qaoud's commitment to platforming young and emerging artists from the GCC and bringing talent from around the world to Dubai, many showing in the region for the first time. We’ve heard whispers of a fabulous moment coming at the end of the year with a globally renowned luxury hospitality brand. Another reason to find an elusive office in ICD. @icdbrookfieldplace
If, like us, you think Dubai is the epicentre of the Global South, then you’ll already be familiar with the Mintah family, whose Ghanaian origins inform the focus on artists of African descent at their renowned Efie Gallery. Those seeking aural inspiration should head to the first floor, known as the Rekord Gallery. With a permanent collection of originally pressed vinyl records from around the world, it’s the grooviest room in town. Come for the music, stay for the scene — this is a space full of the most interesting people you’ve yet to meet. @efiegallery
They don’t come much smarter than Butheina Kazim. A Fulbright Scholar and holder of an MA in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University, her vision for a space that celebrates esoteric and informed film led to the launch of Cinema Akil in Alserkal Avenue over a decade ago. Spreading the good word is helped by Kazim’s formidable network, leading to pop-ups across the nation with partners as diverse as L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts and 421 Arts Campus in Abu Dhabi’s vibrant Mina Zayed creative hub. @cinemaakil
Sunny by name, sunny by nature, Rahbar’s radiant optimism has been her super-power for the 20-plus years she has run Third Line Gallery. With the innate wisdom of someone who has shaped the nascent years of Middle Eastern artists, any visitor to the gallery is as likely to receive expert advice about life, love and the universe as they are about art. A true sun goddess. @thethirdlinedxb
It’s one thing to be a burgeoning Capability Brown in lush Europe, but quite another to tackle Dubai’s unsparing summer heat and sense of being a concrete jungle. Step forward, Zain Masud, whose formidable skills and character are shaping, quite literally, Dubai’s public and private spaces. Whether it’s Alserkal Avenue’s central courtyard or the wraparound garden of designer Nada Debs’ Jumeirah home, Masud’s thoughtful, layered planting is as beneficial for the human eye as it is for the planet. @studiozainmasud
We love a success story, and pocket rockets Enrique Hormigo-Scarlett and Samir Aghera have one to tell. From a vision of celebrating all things nomadic, their lifestyle brand Montroi has blossomed to become one of Dubai’s most elegant exports. Stocked across the globe thanks to their partnership with One&Only Resorts, the duo have a commitment to producing items that are truly exceptional. Their intoxicating incense sticks scent the chicest parties — you know it’s going to be a good night if you catch a whiff of Oud Monsoon as you enter a room. @montroi
There is a calmness that emanates from Antonia Carver that belies the scale of the achievements she has amassed at Art Jameel. Leading the charge at Dubai’s Jameel Arts Centre and Hayy Jameel in Jeddah, she has propounded the importance of representation for the cultural voices of the Global South since joining the group in 2016. A champion of sustainability and an advocate of international partnerships to amplify Middle Eastern voices, we’d always pick Carver to be on our team. @art_jameel
