Running until 22 February 2025, the festival brings together leading Saudi and international creative practitioners from diverse disciplines, breathing new life into AlUla’s ancient heritage with stunning contemporary commissions at the crossroads of cultures, timelines and creative movements.
Since its inception, the annual festival, part of the AlUla Moments Season, has grown into a must-visit event on the global arts calendar, offering arts and culture enthusiasts an immersive experience and an opportunity to connect with both AlUla’s past and its future creative vision.
Throughout the festival, the otherworldly landscapes, picturesque urban environment and dynamic community of AlUla provide stunning backdrops for creative exploration, with a rich programme of activities, catering to audiences of all backgrounds.
From performance to photography and music to film, the festival promises to inspire international visitors and the local community alike, introducing new forms of creative expression. Visitors will have an opportunity to immerse themselves in a sensorial exploration of AlUla’s rich tapestry of sights, sounds, touch, tastes and smells.
The festival brings together key elements of the Arts AlUla ecosystem, including Wadi AlFann, a 65-square-kilometre global cultural destination for contemporary land art, where works by international artists are being permanently installed in the landscape of AlUla. There are also contributions from the upcoming contemporary art museum in AlUla, Villa Hegra, Madrasat Addeera, Design Space AlUla, AlUla Music Hub, Cinema AlJadidah, and partners including Athr Gallery and Khawla Art and Culture.
At the heart of the festival is Gathering Square in the AlJadidah Arts District, home to a series of art and design exhibitions featuring Saudi and international artists. The district also hosts a central programming space that features a diverse public programme, including regular workshops, classes and talks for adults and families.
“AlUla Arts Festival is a testament to our vision of AlUla as a global centre of cultural exchange. This year’s programme features a rich palette of artworks, where the unique backdrop of AlUla presents a canvas for ambitious creative explorations at the crossroads of civilisations, mediums and timelines. We look forward to witnessing visitors interact with the artworks, people and places of AlUla, where contemporary art lives in conversation with ancient heritage and landscapes.” Nora Aldabal, Executive Director of Arts & Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla
Below is a preview of what to expect at AlUla Arts Festival 2025:
EXHIBITIONS
Wadi AlFann presents James Turrell (16 January – 19 April): An exhibition surveying the work of pioneering Light and Space artist James Turrell, presented by Wadi AlFann. Curated by guest curator Michael Govan, CEO of Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA), the exhibition connects Turrell’s legacy with his ambitious Wadi AlFann commission, offering visitors an unparalleled experience of Light and Space. On view are light art installations as well as renders, plans and a constellation map relating to his upcoming commission in AlUla.
Maha Malluh: Reminiscence (16 January – 19 April): This exhibition will showcase works by renowned artist Maha Malluh. The outdoor exhibition will critically examine the role of representation in conscious visual perception, a discussion that intersects the domains of philosophy and psychology. The exhibition invites the audience to reflect on how realist theories can incorporate these insights in juxtaposition to representational conceptions of visual perception. As part of the forthcoming contemporary art museum in AlUla, we are pleased to offer our visitors a comprehensive exploration of the artists’ memories, highlighting the essential role of artistic practice.
Tarek Atoui: Bayt Al Hams (The Whispering House) (16 January – 16 April): During the festival, the AlWarsha space will be dedicated to contemporary sound practices, with a focus on education, improvisation, experimentation, and the production of Tarek’s new artwork commission. It will function as a platform for facilitating collaboration among local, national, and international artists. All attendees are encouraged to engage with the installation, interacting with various instruments contributing to the overall commission.
Design Space AlUla: Raw to Revival (16 January – 19 April): Design Space AlUla returns for its second exhibition in collaboration with Madrasat Addeera, to spotlight the region’s cultural heritage and innovative design. For the first time, Design Space AlUla will present works created within Madrasat Addeera, emphasising the intersection of tradition and modernity that defines AlUla’s cultural identity. The exhibition offers a multi-sensory experience that showcases AlUla’s unique blend of natural beauty and craftsmanship. It invites visitors to explore textures, scents, sounds, and visuals that tell the story of Madrasat Addeera’s transformation from a historic girls school into a thriving arts and design centre.
Al Khatt (16 January – 22 February): Presented by Arts AlUla in collaboration with Khawla Art and Culture, this activation celebrates and elevates the rich legacy of Arabic calligraphy. The activation unfolds in three segments, each weaving Arabic calligraphy into its essence:
- AlKhatt in Tantora is an installation by Her Highness Sheikha Khawla bint Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi, inspired by her work (Infatuation).
- AlKhatt Gallery showcases a solo exhibition by Lebanese artist Ghaleb Hawila, and a collective exhibition featuring a diverse array of Arabic calligraphy masterpieces, including works by Wissam Shawkat, Abdallah Akkar and typography by Ibrahim Zaki.
- Bayt AlKhatt is the concept store that invites visitors to explore everyday objects adorned with Arabic calligraphy. Adding to the allure is a historic house transformed into an indoor gallery, featuring exquisite abayas by Hanayen, designer furniture by Sandra Haber Wehbe, and jewellery co-designed by Sandra and Azza Al Qubaisi.
NEUMA – The Forgotten Ceremony (12 December – 27 February): Saudi artist Sarah Brahim and French artist Ugo Schiavi present ‘NEUMA – The Forgotten Ceremony’, the first collaborative artwork embodying the identity of Villa Hegra – the Saudi-French institution set to open in central AlUla. The project features an indoor exhibition at Dar Tantora and an outdoor installation at Wadi AlNaam, including a minimalist glass temple for reflection. The exhibition showcases blown glass sculptures inspired by local stones and a film of their research process.
Alamaat (Until 26 March): Athr Gallery presents ‘Alamaat’ by Daniah Alsaleh and Susanne Kriemann, curated by Salma Al Khalidi. The exhibition celebrates the German Archaeological Institute’s (DAI) 20th year of excavations in Saudi Arabia through a collaboration that bridges the ancient and the contemporary, exploring how both ordinary and extraordinary discoveries shape our understanding. Set against the backdrop of the archaeological sites of Tayma and AlUla, ‘Alamaat’ invites viewers to rethink the desert landscape, not merely as a relic but as a realm where history and the present intersect in a myriad of ways.
AlUla Artist Residencies Open Studios (22 February): Beyond AlUla Arts Festival’s major exhibitions, there exists a wealth of engaging activities that immerse visitors in the creative spirit of AlUla. TheAlUla Artist Residency Open Studios provide a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the creative energy of AlUla. This programme showcases the work of six talented Saudi and international artists who explore various mediums while engaging deeply with AlUla’s rich heritage, archaeology, crafts, and community. Their research and work is enriched by AlUla’s unique environment, offering visitors insights into their creative processes as part of the AlUla Artist Residency Programme.
The participating artists include: Marwah AlMugait (Saudi), Abdessamad El Montassir (Moroccan), Han Mengyun (Chinese), Jayesh Kumar Sharma (Indian), Sofia Pomeroy (Spanish and British) and Younes Ben Slimane (Tunisian).
PERFORMANCES
Thikra: Night of Remembering (25 – 27 January): Wadi AlFann presents ‘Thikra: Night of Remembering’, created by multi-award-winning choreographer Akram Khan and Wadi AlFann artist Manal AlDowayan. The evocative performance and its dancers embody concepts of forgetting, collective learning and healing, exploring the idea that ‘without a past, there is no future’. The performance features 14 world-class international dancers, an original music score by award-winning composer Aditya Prakash and uniquely designed costumes and set by Manal AlDowayan. It also embodies AlUla’s commitment to engaging local audiences through involving our communities in shaping its design, music, and movement. The performance will take place against the breathtaking backdrop of Wadi AlFann.
Tarek Atoui: Bayt Al Hams (The Whispering House) (16 January): Conceived by the contemporary artist and performer Tarek Atoui, a groundbreaking public concert performance is scheduled to take place on 16 January. This event will present his latest work, which is part of his ongoing collaboration with the contemporary art museum in AlUla.
‘To the Eagles’ Lecture Performance by Ayman Zedani (29 January and 18 February): The contemporary art museum presents Ayman Zedani’s ‘To the Eagles’, a lecture performance rooted in the rich history of the Arabian Peninsula. Based on years of artistic research, it explores the region’s diverse past, encompassing both key historic discoveries and ongoing archaeological and ecological projects. During the performance, the artist takes us on a journey from the south to the north, from the Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Lihyan (Gulf of Aqaba), traversing seven mountain peaks and seven spiritual valleys, to shed light on the missing pieces of the Peninsula’s historical narrative.
PUBLIC PROGRAMME
AlUla Music Hub (16 January – 22 February): AlUla Music Hub comes alive with live performances in AlJadidah, showcasing a diverse range of Arabic, fusion, vocal, and jazz music that emphasizes both regional and global talent. The programme also includes daily jamming sessions, workshops, and themed musical events.
Cinema AlJadidah (16 January – 22 February): AlUla’s open-air arthouse cinema presents a special programme of documentary, shorts and feature films on the theme of art.
Madrasat Addeera’s Public Programming (16 January – 19 April): Madrasat Addeera is the first school for girls in AlUla. It experienced a transformative change in 2019, when its premises were converted into AlUla’s first arts and design centre. The innovative new school offers programmes in traditional arts, guiding artisans and empowering them with the essential tools and techniques necessary to transform the traditional artisanal scene in AlUla. This initiative aims not only to preserve the rich heritage of traditional crafts in AlUla but also to reimagine them, imbuing these time-honoured practices with a modern twist. During the Festival the school is open daily and will be offering weekend workshops in design, arts and crafts here and at other locations throughout AlJadidah Arts District.
Secure your place now and be part of this extraordinary celebration of art, culture, and heritage. Visit experiencealula.com for more on the festival offerings and to book your tickets.
About Arts AlUla
The creation of Arts AlUla within The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) is a commitment to crafting the next chapters in a millennia of artistic creation – celebrating cultural inheritance, presenting the art of our time, and shaping a future propelled by creativity. AlUla has long been a consistent and ever-evolving hub of cultural transfer. It has been a place of passage, a crossroads for trade, and home to successive civilizations who carved, sculpted and inscribed their lives into the landscape. The work of Arts AlUla seeks to preserve this legacy: fuse the old with the new; the local with the international, keeping the arts central to the spirit of AlUla as a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage.
Arts AlUla will bring to fruition a series of new initiatives, projects and exhibitions. The artwork curation will speak to RCU’s vision for the continued development of AlUla’s contemporary art scenes: positioning the arts as a key contributor to AlUla’s character, the quality of life for its local community and the region’s economic future.
Arts AlUla focuses on transferring the talents of the Saudi nation and the local AlUla community into meaningful long-standing social and economic opportunities. This is a key part of the Journey through Time masterplan bringing together the 15 different landmark destinations for culture, heritage and creativity across AlUla.
About Wadi AlFann
Wadi AlFann, meaning ‘Valley of the Arts’, will be a global cultural destination for contemporary art, where era-defining works by artists from around the world will be permanently sited in the monumental landscape of AlUla, the extraordinary desert region of north-west Saudi Arabia.
New, large-scale, site-specific commissions by Manal AlDowayan (b. 1973, Saudi Arabia), Agnes Denes (b. 1931, Hungary), Michael Heizer (b. 1944, USA), Ahmed Mater (b. 1979, Saudi Arabia) and James Turrell (b. 1943, USA) will be the first five works to be conceived for Wadi AlFann, a spectacular valley spanning approximately 65 square kilometres. These initial five works will mark the start of a continued programme of commissions, with more artists and activities to be announced.
Wadi AlFann will offer a profound opportunity to experience art in dialogue with nature. Learning from the desert, the artists are responding to the landscape of AlUla, taking inspiration from its dramatic topography, undulating vistas, remarkable geological structures and complex natural ecosystem. The works will be created with respect for the landscape, set against the stunning sandstone cliffs and canyons of the vast terrain.
Wadi AlFann will provide unparalleled opportunities for local communities to experience art as a source of education and enrichment. Through job creation, skills development and engagement with local creatives, Wadi AlFann will strengthen AlUla’s cultural economy, inspiring a new generation of arts professionals and enhancing quality of life for its residents.
This epic new destination will also welcome art lovers, adventurers, and globetrotters from across the world on a transformative cultural journey to a unique place of creative and geographical wonder, continuing the region’s history as a place of cross-cultural exchange.
A full press release about Wadi AlFann can be found here.
About AlUla Moments
AlUla Moments is AlUla’s new home for events. AlUla Moments calendar was launched at the end of 2021 and introduced new festivals and events to celebrate and unlock AlUla’s stories, uncover its secrets, and celebrate local and international cultures. With 7,000 years of continuous human civilisations and home to some of the most sophisticated ancient kingdoms of antiquity, AlUla is no stranger to social gatherings and cultural celebrations.
AlUla Moments calendar comprises of five festivals offering diverse experiences in art, culture, music, nature, wellness, equestrian activities, dining, and astronomy. The AlUla Wellness Festival featuring the latest practices to engage the mind, body and soul; Winter at Tantora, the original AlUla celebration of heritage, culture, fashion and music; the Ancient Kingdoms Festival offers immersive events acknowledging the ancient civilisations that lived in AlUla and its neighboring oases in Khaybar and Tayma; AlUla Skies Festival with the popular hot air balloons and stargazing experiences; and AlUla Arts Festival bringing together contemporary and ancient art events and experiences.
In addition to the festivals AlUla Moments calendar offers a number of marquee events, including AZIMUTH and Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo, along with the heritage sports events such as The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup, AlUla Camel Cup, AlUla Falcon Cup, the Tent Pegging World Championship and Horseback Archery World Cup, a world-class fashion, adventure and sporting events.
For more information, please visit experiencealula.com
About AlUla
Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.
Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Roman’s conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE.
In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO’s memory of the World Register. Also AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, which has been selected as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO.
For more information, please visit: experiencealula.com
