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The Dhaka Art Landscape
Dhaka has one of the most active art scenes in South Asia, and one of the least documented. If you know where to look, you'll find world-class painting, sculpture, photography, and installation art being made in studios across the city.
Here's a guide to navigating it.
The Major Galleries
Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts (Gulshan)
The most prestigious commercial gallery in Bangladesh. Bengal Gallery has an exhibition program that rivals galleries in Mumbai and Singapore. Their shows often sell out in the opening days.
Subscribe to their newsletter — shows are announced a few weeks in advance and some exhibitions have strict entry policies.
Dhaka Art Center (Segunbagicha)
The publicly funded art center adjacent to the Fine Arts Faculty. Their program mixes established artists with significant emerging talent. Admission is usually free. Their annual year-end group shows are essential viewing.
Shilpakala Academy (Segunbagicha)
The national visual arts academy hosts large-scale exhibitions and is the home of the Dhaka Art Summit — Bangladesh's most important international contemporary art event.
Chobir Haat (Dhanmondi Lake)
Not exactly a gallery — more of a weekly open-air art market held on Friday mornings. Local artists display and sell work at all price points. Excellent for discovering emerging artists and finding affordable originals.
The Exhibitions Not to Miss in 2025
The Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) typically takes place in February and brings international curators, collectors, and artists to the city. It's the single best opportunity each year to see how Bangladeshi contemporary art positions itself globally.
The Faculty of Fine Arts Annual Show (November–December) is where you'll see the next generation. The best graduates often have shows that rival professional gallery exhibitions.
Kala Kendra in Lalmatia runs intimate shows focused on new media and experimental work — the most cutting-edge programming in the city.
Finding Studio Artists
Many of Dhaka's best artists don't show regularly in galleries. They work in studios in Mirpur, Mohakhali, Bashundhara, and Old Dhaka, selling directly to collectors through word of mouth and, increasingly, platforms like ArtHub.
The best way to find them: attend opening nights at the major galleries and talk to people. The art world in Dhaka is small enough that three degrees of separation connects you to almost anyone.
Outside Dhaka
Chittagong has a strong art scene centered on the Faculty of Fine Arts at Chittagong University and the Chattogram Art College. The industrial and maritime landscape of the port city has generated a distinctive artistic tradition.
Rajshahi is underrated. The University of Rajshahi's Fine Arts Department has produced some of Bangladesh's finest printmakers and sculptors. The city itself — quieter, greener, and more relaxed than Dhaka — has a contemplative quality that shows in the art made here.
ArtHub for Buying Online
If you can't always visit galleries in person, ArtHub connects you directly with verified Bangladeshi artists across all 64 districts. Browse by style, medium, price range, and region. Every purchase comes directly from the artist's studio.
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