A new chapter for Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape unfolded from April 6–13, 2025, as Art Week Riyadh made its debut across the capital.

Organized by the Visual Arts Commission, Art Week Riyadh is a pioneering new platform designed to showcase and celebrate the Kingdom’s flourishing visual arts scene. Taking place across eight venues — with a central hub in the JAX District — this inaugural edition brought together over 45 galleries, 70 artists, and 200 artworks, creating a dynamic snapshot of the evolving creative expression in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

The event welcomed a diverse community of local and international galleries, cultural institutions, artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts, offering a week-long program filled with exhibitions, panel talks, performances, and workshops. Across every facet, Art Week Riyadh reflected the Kingdom’s growing role as a global cultural hub and a supporter of artistic innovation.

A collaborative cultural milestone

As a key contributor to Art Week Riyadh, Riyadh Art, one of the major initiatives under the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, presented the group exhibition “At the Edge” in JAX District. This exhibition explored contemporary aesthetic and intellectual transformations, positioning Saudi and international artists in dialogue around themes of space, identity, and the evolving relationship between tradition and innovation.

The initiative also strengthened Riyadh Art’s collaboration with the Visual Arts Commission, reinforcing their shared mission to expand access to art, empower creative voices, and engage the public in meaningful ways. Through events like these, Riyadh Art continues to position the capital as a vibrant, open-air gallery—where cultural expression is woven into the urban experience.

Expanding perspectives through art

With over 43 studios, galleries, and creative entities activating the JAX District alone, and a thoughtfully curated public program featuring 8 talks and 5 workshops, Art Week Riyadh encouraged audiences to engage more deeply with the ideas and processes behind the artworks on display.

Three invited collection exhibitions—featuring 50 additional works—added to the rich artistic offering, providing insight into the curatorial visions and histories of prominent regional and global collections. Together, the event’s diverse programming encouraged new connections between artists, audiences, and cultural institutions, further anchoring Riyadh’s position in the international art dialogue.

Art and Vision 2030

Art Week Riyadh reflects the Kingdom’s wider cultural transformation as outlined in Saudi Vision 2030, by promoting economic diversification through culture, nurturing talent, and developing a sustainable creative sector. Events like this support the growth of the visual arts ecosystem while helping Saudi artists reach new audiences, locally and globally.

From emerging voices to established names, the works presented during Art Week Riyadh invited reflection on everyday life, landscapes, memory, identity, and the future—illustrating how art can serve as both a mirror and a map for a society in transformation.

The success of this inaugural edition of Art Week Riyadh signals a growing appetite for cultural experiences in the Kingdom. As Saudi Arabia continues to invest in its creative industries, platforms like this will be central to fostering dialogue, innovation, and global exchange in the arts.

For more updates on future editions and ongoing exhibitions, visit: https://engage.moc.gov.sa/en/visual-arts