The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation opened submissions on 8 October for the second Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition. Composers of any nationality may enter anonymously in two categories: an orchestral work of up to 10 minutes or a solo piano work of up to five minutes. An international jury will review the scores. Entries close on 31 December 2026 and winners are due to be announced in May 2027.

The first prize includes AED130,000, a professional recording, publication of the score and a commission with a world premiere at Abu Dhabi Festival 2028. Second and third prizes carry AED50,000 and AED25,000 respectively, plus mentorship and exposure through the foundation’s network. The 2025 inaugural edition received more than 165 submissions from 47 countries. That is the previous competition’s participation, not an estimate of current entries. The announcement gives award terms and dates but does not state how many composers will advance to the final jury stage.