Abu Dhabi is building a major new performing arts venue named Dar Al Funoon Abu Dhabi, set to open in 2030 on Saadiyat Island.
The Department of Culture and Tourism is developing the centre as a permanent home for live performance, with spaces for opera, ballet, theatre, orchestral concerts, musicals, festivals, and more intimate shows. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, witnessed the project launch and reviewed its plans, development phases, construction progress, and technical capabilities. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, said the project reflected Abu Dhabi’s long-term investment in artistic expression and cultural development. The venue will offer year-round programming and is planned as a permanent home for major live productions, supporting long-term artistic residencies, international touring partnerships, and co-productions with performing arts institutions around the world.
Spaces for every scale of performance
The main multipurpose hall will seat more than 2,000 and include an orchestra pit for up to 120 musicians, with acoustics designed for major productions. It will adapt seamlessly across genres — from awards shows to cultural festivals. The development will also include a 3,500-seat outdoor amphitheatre for large-scale events and festivals, a 400-seat studio theatre for experimental and community productions, and a 250-seat jazz venue for intimate, genre-focused performances. Supporting facilities will include about 5,000 square metres of food and beverage and retail space, as well as a rooftop terrace for special events.
Artistic ambition and architectural legacy
The building’s design draws from local rhythms — wind, water, and landscape — and reflects the vision of Frank Gehry, who died in December 2025 at age 96. He also designed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, another major cultural project on Saadiyat Island. His other landmark works include the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris. The structure was designed by the Frank Gehry office, and the project aligns with Abu Dhabi’s status as a Unesco Creative City of Music, which the emirate has held since 2021. Dar Al Funoon Abu Dhabi will add a dedicated performance venue to the broader cultural landscape developing on and around Saadiyat, joining Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum, which are already open, with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi expected to follow.
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