From November 20 to December 6, Noor Riyadh returns to the capital city for its fifth edition, promising more than 60 artworks across the city.
This year the citywide celebration of light will embrace the theme “In the Blink of an Eye." The much loved arts and culture festival will capture the essence of the capital’s rapid transformation, and through a variety of immersive exhibitions, intriguing lectures, hands-on workshops, artistic showcases and inspiring performances, Noor RIyadh will celebrate the balance between heritage and futuristic ambition through the mode of light.
Expect large-scale public installations, dazzling projections, and immersive experiences at landmark spots including the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre, Wadi Hanifah and the city's artistic hub of JAX District. The programme also includes with talks, workshops, film screenings, live music and family-friendly activities.
Abour Noor Riyadh
Launched in 2021, Noor Riyadh has already carved out its place on the global cultural calendar, holding 14 Guinness World Records, including the largest LED structure and the most drones in an aerial show. Alongside showcasing international and Saudi talent, it’s committed to preserving the city’s heritage sites and natural landscapes.
With numerous art installations and exhibitions showcasing in various locations around the city, those interested in discovering more about Noor Riyadh can explore the various outdoor installations are free to view. There are just a handful of bookable experiences, such as the lectures and workshops in order to properly manage crowds. But, the public will be able to enjoy the majority of Noor Riyadh as they wander the glowing streets or join a creative workshop and take the opportunity to see the city in a new light.
The Curatorial Team & Artists Taking Part
Guiding the artistic vision for Noor Riyadh 2025 is a powerful international curatorial team: Mami Kataoka from the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Li Zhenhua representing the Beijing Art Lab, and local expert Sara Almutlaq from Saudi Arabia.
This year’s edition of Noor Riyadh will not only showcases boundary-pushing contemporary light installations but also pays a powerful tribute to the founding generation of modern Saudi artists. The Noor Riyadh 2025 showcase will also include a special installation dedicated to the work of the late Safeya Binzagr (1940–2024), a leading figure of Saudi’s modern art movement and the first female Saudi artist to hold a solo exhibition in 1968.
The list of participants in the Noor Riyadh festival includes 59 artists from 24 international destination.
Argentina: Six N. Five (Ezequiel Pini)
Austria: Kurt Hentschlager
Belgium: Traumnovelle
Brazil: Rejane Cantoni
Canada: Iregular
Canada and Colombia: Alexandra Gelis
China: Wang Yuyang, Zhang Zengzeng and Zheng Da
Croatia: Ivana Franke
France: Christophe Berthonneau, Guillaume Cousin, n + n Corsino and Roman Hill
Germany: Plastique Fantastique, Robert Seidel, someform Studio and Zeitguised
Hungary: Laszlo Zsolt Bordos
Italy: dies_, Francesco Simeti, fuse*, Loris Cecchini, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Otolab
Japan: Ryoichi Kurokawa, Shinji Ohmaki, Shiro Takatani (Dumb Type, Japan), Shun Ito
Kuwait: Monira Al-Qadiri
Netherlands: Edwin van der Heide, Marnix De Nijs
Philippines and US: James Clar
Poland: Karolina Halatek
Romania: Vali Chincisan
Russia: Tonoptik
Saudi Arabia: Abdelrahman Elshahed, Abdulrahman Al-Soliman Ahmad Angawi, Fatma Abdulhadi, Hmoud Alattawi, Khalid Zahid, Mohammed Farea, Muhannad Shono, Nebras Aljoaib, Obaid Alsafi, Saad Al-Howede, Saeed Gebaan, Safeya Binzagr and Ziyad Alroqi
South Korea: Ayoung Kim
Sweden: Christian Partos
Switzerland: atelier oi + WonderGlass, Encor Studio
Taiwan: Wu Chi-Tsung
UK: Random International and Studio Above&Below
US: Addie Wagenknecht and Alex Schweder
Noor Riyadh 2025, from November 20 to December 6, 2026
Various locations across Riyadh including JAX District, Al Faisaliyah Tower, KAFD Metro Station and King Abdulaziz Historical Center.
@noorriyadhfestival
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