Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026
About the event
The Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026, the third edition of Saudi Arabia's flagship international art exhibition, opened on January 30, 2026, at the JAX District in Diriyah. Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the biennale is titled «In Interludes and Transitions / في الحِلّ والترحال», taking inspiration from the movements, migrations, and cultural transformations that connect the Gulf region with the world.
Spanning nearly 12,900 square meters of galleries, courtyards, and terraces, the biennale brings together 68 artists from 37 countries, presenting over 25 newly commissioned works. The scenography by the acclaimed Italian design studio Formafantasma transforms the industrial warehouses of JAX District into a fluid landscape of curved pathways and layered surfaces. Major partners include Lexus, Deutsche Bank, and Art Jameel, underscoring the event’s position as a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance.
The exhibition features a diverse range of artistic practices spanning visual art, sound installations, performance, film, architecture, and research-based projects. Notable participants include Mohammed Alhamdan (7amdan), whose newly commissioned procession «Folding the Tents» travels through the Wadi Hanifah valley into the JAX District; Ahaad Alamoudi, Afra Al Dhaheri, and internationally recognized artists such as Petrit Halilaj, Raqs Media Collective, and Thảo Nguyên Phan. The biennale also features a rich public program of talks, workshops, and performances that weave contemporary artistic practice with ideas of memory, cultural exchange, and collective experience.
The biennale is held at JAX District in the historic town of Diriyah, northwest of Riyadh, beside the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif. The exhibition runs through May 2, 2026. Tickets are available via the official website. Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, a nonprofit institution established in 2020 by the Saudi Ministry of Culture.