Diriyah Biennale Foundation names curatorial team for 2027 Islamic Arts Biennale

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has announced the full curatorial team for the third edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, scheduled to open on November 1, 2027, at the Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The venue, which has received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, holds special significance due to Jeddah’s historic role as the gateway for millions of pilgrims traveling to Makkah and Madinah, lending the biennale a unique context rooted in the site’s heritage and memory.

The Islamic Arts Biennale continues the foundation’s commitment to pioneering innovative cultural projects and initiatives. Since its inception, it has made history as the world’s first biennale dedicated entirely to showcasing the arts of Islamic civilization, past and present. The event brings together historical Islamic treasures and contemporary art commissions in a dialogue that highlights issues and perspectives relevant to today’s societies and their aspirations. Through this innovative model, the foundation has established a global platform to revive, interpret, and highlight Islamic heritage for a broad audience, helping to deepen understanding and appreciation of its cultural and civilizational value. Ambitious initiatives have also been launched, including the Musalla Prize, which encourages new architectural concepts for prayer spaces, and Al-Madar, a collaborative platform connecting institutions, museums, and local and international participants with significant Islamic art collections.

The 2027 Islamic Arts Biennale will be led by a team of curators including Nada Raza, Director of Alserkal Arts Foundation; William Robinson, former Head of Islamic Art at Christie’s and a leading expert in the field; Alain Fouad George, Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Oxford and Director of the Lusail Institute in Doha; and Idries Trevathan, former Head Curator at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran. The selection of this team reflects the biennale’s commitment to presenting Islamic arts as a dynamic cultural field shaped by movement, interaction, and civilizational exchange, offering opportunities to explore this heritage through research and contemporary culture. The curators will present a series of independent exhibitions, each with a distinct perspective on intangible heritage and themes of resilience and community solidarity, while continuing to gather exceptional works from leading Islamic art collections worldwide.

The biennale continues to expand its institutional partnerships through Al-Madar, a platform launched by the foundation to foster cultural collaboration among key institutions, museums, and individuals engaged with Islamic arts and cultures in Saudi Arabia and globally. In 2027, Al-Madar will launch a digital archival platform and expanded programming both within the Kingdom and with partner institutions worldwide, contributing to a sustainable international network for the development and exchange of knowledge on Islamic arts.

The upcoming edition will also feature newly commissioned contemporary artworks produced by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, extending into the outdoor spaces beneath the Western Hajj Terminal canopies. It will also showcase the winning design from the second Musalla Prize, continuing the foundation’s commitment to advancing architectural practices, along with a range of cultural programs for visitors.

Rakan Al-Touq, Assistant Minister of Culture and Vice Chairman of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s Board of Trustees, said: “The Islamic Arts Biennale is founded on our firm belief that the arts of Islamic civilization are not just a chapter from the past viewed from afar, but a living, evolving field that continues to generate new perspectives. The third edition brings together four multidisciplinary curators—Nada Raza, William Robinson, Alain Fouad George, and Idries Trevathan—whose research and professional backgrounds span auction houses, universities, museums, and major art institutions, as well as prior experience with the Islamic Arts Biennale. We are confident that this diversity will deliver a distinctive and acclaimed third edition, continuing to celebrate and develop the richness and diversity of Islamic culture. The Al-Madar initiative will further broaden and deepen dialogue around this culture, engaging institutions from across the world.”

Aya Al-Bakri, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, said: “The curatorial team embodies the diversity and richness of Islamic arts, reflecting their historical depth and renewed presence in the contemporary cultural scene. I am delighted to see this edition taking shape under the guidance of such outstanding expertise, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from Saudi Arabia and around the world to explore this exhibition.”

The Islamic Arts Biennale is organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, a non-profit established in 2020 to support creative expression and enhance the role of culture and the arts in Saudi Arabia. The foundation also organizes the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, which alternates with the Islamic Arts Biennale, and oversees the development and management of JAX District, the creative area with an industrial heritage in Diriyah, Riyadh.