Noor Riyadh 2023: What to Expect at the Biggest Light Festival in Riyadh?

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Updated November 2023

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has, in recent years, been keen on adopting a new persona of an open and welcoming society. The Kingdom now seeks to welcome the world by developing tourist sites and promoting its rich and alluring heritage.

Additionally, events and celebrations such as the Riyadh Season 2023 and the upcoming Noor Riyadh festival also serve as a testament to the Kingdom’s willingness to welcome global travelers and embrace change.

Continuing the success of the inaugural edition held last year, Noor Riyadh 2023 will transform Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, once again into a dazzling night-time gallery without walls.

What is Noor Riyadh festival?

Noor Riyadh is an annual festival of light and art that takes place throughout the entire city of Riyadh. The festival will turn the city into an open-air gallery, illuminated by a series of ambitious large-scale public art installations. This year, Noor Riyadh 2023 is heading back to the Saudi capital, as announced by the Noorriyadhfestival official Instagram account.

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Created to support local talent and boost Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy, Noor Riyadh is an integral component of Riyadh Art, one of the globe’s most extensive public art endeavors.

Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the Saudi Minister of Culture and a board member of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, as well as the chairman of the Steering Committee for the Riyadh Art Program, emphasized the commitment to culture and the arts, which has flourished under the guidance of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Noor Riyadh Festival 2023 is set to showcase an impressive collection of more than 120 artworks contributed by over 100 artists, exhibited across five hubs in the heart of the Saudi capital. This vibrant festival will embrace local and international artists and provide a rich tapestry of workshops, stimulating seminars, and engaging artistic dialogues.

Moreover, this festival is committed to offering an extensive array of over 500 community engagement initiatives, ensuring an enriching experience for both visitors and families throughout the festival and exhibition period.

Noor Riyadh 2023’s theme

The festival’s theme, as envisioned by the distinguished curatorial team comprising Jérôme Sans, Pedro Alonzo, Alaa Tarabzouni, and Fahad Bin Naif, invites us to explore “The Bright Side of the Desert Moon.”

Noor Riyadh exhibition 2023

The Noor Riyadh exhibition for 2023 is scheduled to captivate audiences from November 30, 2023, through March 2, 2024. This exhibition, titled “Refracting Identities, Shared Futures,” is set to take place at the JAX District. For 2023, the exhibition honors light as a flux, with artists understanding the dynamic nature of cultural and personal identity in the face of shifting sands of time through their role as light cartographers.

Noor Riyadh 2023 dates

Noor Riyadh 2023 will illuminate the Saudi capital from 30 November to 16 December 2023. As previously mentioned, the festival’s accompanying exhibition, extends its artistic glow from 30 November 2023, all the way through to 2 March 2024, offering an extended period for art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in its luminous wonders.

If you are looking forward to the Riyadh Art initiative and the Noor Riyadh 2023, please visit the Noor Riyadh official website to keep yourself updated.