It doesn’t matter whether you open Instagram or read your favourite media outlet; most of what you’ll see is dramatic, even alarming: war, genocide, climate change. Amidst such turmoil, what role does art play? How can artists reclaim their power through striking works that help us make sense of the world, and even give us hope for the future? And in an increasingly interconnected society, how do human relationships shift? These are some of the questions that the third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale will try to answer.
Opening to the public on January 30, 2026, the event will take place at the burgeoning JAX District, known for gathering a wide range of cultural offerings, from art galleries and museums to concept stores. The edition is titled في الحِلّ والترحال” / In Interludes and Transitions, and will present over sixty-five artists representing almost forty different nations, including names such as Etel Adnan, Petrit Halilaj, Abdullah Al Saadi, Amina Saoudi Aït Khay, Naminapu Maymuru-White, Aziz Hazara, Gala Porras-Kim, Eric Gyamfi, Raven Chacon, Ahaad Alamoudi, Théo Mercier, Nour Mobarak, Bogosi Sekhukhuni, Agustina Woodgate, and Pio Abad, among many others. “The third edition of the Biennale will create arenas that bring together works by artists, musicians, filmmakers, architects, and writers to amplify the resilience of people in times of uncertainty,” reads the Curatorial Text by Artistic Directors Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed.
From January to May, art lovers will have yet another excuse to visit Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the third installment of the famed contemporary art biennial. As the Artistic Directors state: “This edition of the Biennale takes place at a moment when the role of art feels ever more urgent. Over the last year, participating artists and our curatorial team have immersed themselves in the nuanced histories of the Arab region, the rapid transformations reshaping it, and the wider philosophical questions that echo across different geographies. We look forward to welcoming visitors into a space where artistic practices draw us into the processions shaping our world. We see the Biennale as an invitation to think rhythmically, to approach time as layered, pulsating, and collectively embodied.”
