OPEN MASTER GAMES ABU DHABI 2026
A multi-phase campaign celebrating lifelong movement, competition, and community through one of the region’s largest international multi-sport events.
As the lead Art Director, I developed visual concepts across the full event journey, from awareness and athlete recruitment to medals, mascot storytelling, live event content, and post-event legacy. And leading the creative team through the event. The work combined campaign strategy, cinematic art direction, design, photography, and AI-assisted production to build a consistent and adaptable visual world.
The Games took place from 6–15 February 2026, bringing together athletes across 38 sports and venues throughout Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. Official post-event reporting recorded more than 40,000 registered athletes from over 150 countries, alongside 10,000 volunteers and 750 medal ceremonies.
Year
2025
2026
Client
open master games
Abu dhabi 2026
Category
Art Lead
Art Direction
Building the Movement:
Walk To Mars Campaign
A nationwide movement that brought communities across the UAE together around one shared goal: collectively covering 54 million kilometres, the symbolic distance from Earth to Mars and a reference to the UAE’s 54th year.
People contributed through walking, running, cycling, swimming and other forms of activity, with every kilometre tracked through the Open Masters Games app under the message, Every Step Makes a Difference.
Symbols of Achievement
Medal Campaign
A campaign designed to build anticipation around one of the Games’ most powerful symbols of achievement.
The campaign gave the medals a strong visual presence while creating excitement ahead of the competition.
Mascot Launch and Campaign
The mascot launch introduced a recognisable and engaging personality for the Games.
The mascot became a familiar presence throughout the event, helping create a stronger connection between the Games and its audience.
Opening ceremony
Event
CommunitY Hubs
A live content series capturing the energy of the Community Hubs across Abu Dhabi.
The reels highlighted how the Games extended beyond competition, bringing together sport, entertainment, wellness and community experiences in one shared space.
Post-Event Legacy
The final phase extended the story beyond the closing ceremony and focused on the lasting impact of the Games.
Some selected campaign footage was produced in collaboration with internal and external production teams and is included to represent the wider scale of the event.
