Noor Riyadh Festival 2024: Vibrant Celebration of Light and Art

Saudi Arabia’s capital is bracing for a magnificent event that will illuminate its skies with impressive artworks. The Noor Riyadh Festival is returning for a fourth edition from November 28 to December 14, 2024, bringing with it a new level of creativity and innovation.

Under the theme Light Years Apart, the annual event features the creations of 60 local and international artists who will showcase their innovative light-based artworks, transforming the skies of Saudi Arabia into a vivid gallery and sparking a vibrant dialogue between art and technology.

Noor Riyadh Festival

Launched by Riyadh Art Program in 2021, Noor Riyadh Festival is the largest light art festival in the world. It is a celebration of light and arts that aims to support and inspire young artists. It aligns with the objectives of the ambitious Vision 2030, acting as a driver of Saudi Arabia’s creative economy.

Noor Riyadh Festival 2024 offers a platform for cultural exchanges, by bringing together leading artists from around the world. The unique event features educational workshops, discussions, community activities and artistic shows. It showcases the creations of visual artists, industrial designers, sculptors, musicians, and photographers through a diverse range of innovative light shows.

In the light of this, the Saudi Minister of Culture, member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and Chairman of the Riyadh Art Program’s Steering Committee, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, pointed to the significance of the event.

“Noor Riyadh is an annual creative platform that brings together leading artists and talents in light works from across the world. It exhibits inspiring art works, supports creativity in Riyadh, contributes to establishing the city’s status as a global hub for creativity and arts, and improves the quality of life,” he said.

Prestigious Lineup

The Noor Riyadh Festival 2024 has revealed the names of artists taking part in this fascinating event. The list includes more than 60 artists from 18 countries worldwide. According to a press release, 18 Saudi artists will showcase their creative and interactive artworks. These include Abdul Rahman Taha, Athar Alharbi, Youssef Al-Ahmed, Nasser Al-Turki, and Maryam Tariq.

Moreover, the event features 43 international artists from Australia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Türkiye, the UK, the UAE, and the US. These include renowned artists such as Jukan Tatesi, Takeshi Yasura, Kimchi and Chips, Lachlan Turczan, Stefano Cagol, and Takayuki Mori.

Innovative Venues

Noor Riyadh Festival 2024 will be held across three venues in Saudi Arabia’s capital city which blend heritage with modernity, building a bridge connecting the past, present and the future. The choice of these venues adds cultural richness to the event and demonstrates the diversity of the Kingdom’s culture, mixing traditional and contemporary arts.

The first venue is the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, home to various exhibitions and museums that display the Kingdom’s heritage. It is a symbol of the Najdi cultural heritage and Saudi Arabia’s identity. The building boasts a traditional architecture that opposes the modern techniques used in construction, bridging the past and the future. The participating artists will demonstrate this contradiction with their innovative artworks.

The second venue is the Wadi Hanifah, a wonderful site with charming natural landscapes. It is a historical natural landmark that invokes a cultural dialogue on topics such as sustainability and human’s connection with Earth. In a stunning open-air setting, artists will display artworks that exemplify the relationship between humans and nature, with a focus on environmental values.

Meanwhile, the third venue is the JAX District, a hub for art galleries and cultural projects. It stands as an example of art and creativity in the heart of an industrial complex. During Noor Riyadh 2024, artists will highlight the link between the past and the present through artworks that combine tradition and innovation.

Light Years Apart

The event’s theme is derived from Al-Thuraya, a renowned star cluster in the Arab culture. Al-Thuraya has long been a guiding light as well as a symbol of aspiration. The theme Light Years Apart explores the profound relationship between Earth (Al-Thara) and Al-Thuraya, spotlighting human’s journey towards the stars to reach the highest aspirations. The theme also underscores the power of creativity and ambitions in building bridges to fulfill aspirations, literal and metaphorical.

The curator of Noor Riyadh 2024 and board member of the Visual Arts Commission, Dr. Effat Abdullah Fadag, highlighted the symbolism of the theme, as light is used as a metaphor for hope, creativity and resilience.

“We want the audience to feel connected to the stars above and the Earth below, experiencing how art can unite diverse elements such as science, technology, philosophy and spirituality, fostering a shared sense of inspiration and identity,” she told Arab News.

Noor Riyadh Track Record

The Noor Riyadh Festival invites visitors to explore the connection between the physical and metaphysical through the artistic works that blend both traditional and modern interpretations of light and creativity.

In its three previous editions, the event achieved notable success, receiving 14 Guinness World Records. These include the Largest Light Art Festival; the Most Drones Performing an Aerial Dance Display; in addition to the Longest Distance Covered by a Laser Light Show in 2022.

Moreover, the event received Guinness Awards in 2023 for Most Drones Launched in a Week; Largest Interactive Projection-mapped Display; and Most Lights in a Light Show on a Single Building, in addition to several other awards.

Noor Riyadh Festival has gained recognition among residents and visitors alike, providing a memorable experience that illuminates Riyadh and transforms it into a live gallery. So far, the event has showcased more than 388 artworks for over 300 artists from across the world, attracting over 6 million visitors.