RIYADH.- Art Week Riyadh concluded its inaugural edition as a resounding success, welcoming more than 17,000 visitors between 6–13 April 2025, across 13 locations throughout the Saudi capital. An initiative of the Saudi Visual Arts Commission, one of the eleven sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture, the event is a non-commercial platform for celebrating and amplifying Saudi Arabia’s dynamic art scene, by fostering exchange and supporting the arts.

As Saudi Arabia continues to grow its presence on the global art stage, Art Week Riyadh established a significant new platform for discovery, dialogue, and creative exchange — bringing together over 50 leading local, regional, and international galleries, more than 200 artists, over 500 artworks, and more than 100 activations in a city-wide celebration of Saudi’s dynamic art scene.

Extending Access to Saudi Cultural Collections

A major highlight, the Collections in Dialogue exhibition at JAX District— featuring works from the collections of King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), Art Jameel, and the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) —will remain open to the public until 31 May 2025. These rare presentations offer a deep reflection on Saudi Arabia’s evolving cultural identity through works by artists such as Do Ho Suh, Maha Malluh, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Ahmed Mater, and others.

Additional highlights of the week included:

Galleries Curated Selections: At The Edge Exhibition

At JAX District, over 30 galleries presented curated selections of artworks exploring cultural dialogues between Saudi Arabia, the wider MENA region, and the global contemporary art scene.

Including significant presentations from leading galleries such as Lisson Gallery, Galleria Continua, Selma Feriani, THE PILL®, Mennour, Lawrie Shabibi and Galerie Krinzinger, with standout works by artists such as Wael Shawky, Kader Attia, Ahmed Mater, Nefeli Papadimouli, Mohammad Alfaraj, Maha Malluh, Lulwah Al Humoud, and Ayesha Singh.

Al Mousa Center Activations

At the Al Mousa Center in central Riyadh, 20 galleries presented solo and group exhibitions specially conceived for Art Week Riyadh, highlighting pioneering artists as well as emerging talents from the region and abroad. Once a bustling commercial complex, the center is now a cultural destination. Highlights included Hunna, a women-led exhibition presented by ERRM Gallery and Gallery Misr, the studio of Abdullah Hammas, an exhibition of works by Saddek Wasil at Ahlam Gallery, a showcase of regional artists at Ama Art Venue, and a panel titled “The Value of the Past is a Measure of the Future”, moderated by Raneem Farsi, Curator and Art Advisor. The talk considered that Saudi's visual arts past is not only history but a constant source of contemporary discovery that shapes the future.