Fez — The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has announced that the third edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale will take place from November 1, 2027 to March 1, 2028 in Jeddah.
The event will once again be hosted at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport, the Aga Khan Award-winning site that historically serves as a gateway for millions of pilgrims.
As the world’s first biennale dedicated exclusively to the arts of Islamic civilizations, the Jeddah initiative continues to evolve beyond a temporary exhibition format. For 2027, the Foundation is signaling a strategic expansion, strengthening partnerships with museums, researchers, and artists across continents in an effort to position the Biennale as a lasting international platform.
Central to this evolution is Al Madar, meaning “The Orbit,” an initiative initially conceived as a section within the exhibition and now restructured as a year-round platform. Built on four pillars — a physical exhibition, a digital research directory, international symposiums, and a community network — Al Madar aims to sustain dialogue between global institutions holding Islamic art collections and contemporary creators engaging with that heritage.
The Biennale’s curatorial approach remains distinctive: placing rare historical artifacts, some never previously displayed, in conversation with newly commissioned contemporary works. The previous edition featured more than 500 objects from 40 institutions across 20 countries, underscoring its growing international footprint.
The 2027 edition will be guided by a multidisciplinary team spanning archaeology, architecture, art history, and cartography. The program will also continue initiatives such as the Al Musalla Prize, launched in 2024 to explore the future of prayer spaces through sustainability and technological innovation.
Under the leadership of CEO Aya Al-Bakree, the Biennale forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 cultural transformation.
With nearly one million cumulative visitors across past editions, the Jeddah Islamic Arts Biennale has established itself as a key cultural milestone, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s ambition to serve as a global hub for dialogue between tradition and contemporary artistic practice.
