Riyadh shines in fifth Noor festival

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Light artwork will illuminate the Saudi capital again this year during the fifth and largest edition of Noor Riyadh. The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is hosting the eighth edition of Tanween, a festival that encourages designers to anticipate human needs. Meanwhile, back in the capital, the Saudi International Handicrafts Week (Banan) showcases work by more than 400 artisans from around the world.

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1. Leading the week: Noor Riyadh returns for fifth edition

A rendering of Nebras Aljoaib’s “Between Light and Stone” (2025) for Noor Riyadh. (Courtesy of Noor Riyadh)

Light artwork illuminates the Saudi capital once again for the fifth edition of Noor Riyadh, with this year’s theme being “In the Blink of an Eye.” Taking place across six locations in Riyadh, including the Qasr Al Hokm District and the JAX District, the festival includes over 60 works of art by 59 artists from 24 countries, marking the festival’s largest edition ever.

"Each year, Noor Riyadh grows in ambition and impact,” said Noor Riyadh festival director Nouf Almoneef in the opening press release. “I am proud that we continue to champion artists, strengthen the creative economy, and build connections between Saudi talent and the international arts community. Together, we are shaping Riyadh into a global capital for culture today and for generations to come.”

The festival is once again presented by Riyadh Art under the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC). The theme “In the Blink of an Eye” references the rapid socio-economic transformation shaping the Saudi capital. Large-scale works of art are grouped across six locations, where they are situated amid both heritage buildings and the futuristic modern skyrises that continue to shoot up across the city. 

This year’s festival curators are Mami Kataoka, director of the Mori Art Museum, Riyadh-based curator Sara Almutlaq, and Li Zhenhua, curator and founder of Beijing Art Lab. 

Highlighted works include Hungarian artist Laszlo Zsolt Bordos’s “Astrum” (2025), showcasing powerful beams of light atop Al Faisaliah Tower that become a moving planetary compass, linking celestial bodies with the metropolitan skyline of Riyadh. There’s also Saudi artist Fatma Abdulhadi’s “Keep your eyes on the light: Into Another Garden” (2025), featuring a light artwork of fabrics to create an illusory shadow garden that invites the viewer on a journey of healing, contemplation and growth. Elsewhere, Saudi artist Ahmad Angawi presents “Algorithms of Light: The Falcon” (2025), exploring the intersection of heritage, movement and transformation. Inspired by Najdi Sadu patterns and the Saudi falcon, the work offers a sublime depiction of rhythm and geometry through calligraphic design.

The exhibitions span the north and south of the city, including the Riyadh Art space at JAX District, a former industrial area that is now home to artist studios, galleries and contemporary arts events; KAFD Metro Station, designed by Zaha Hadid architects; STC Metro Station, designed by Gerber Architekten; Al Faisaliah Tower, designed by British design practice Foster & Partners; and the heritage areas Qasr Al Hokm District and King Abdulaziz Historical Center, both in the historic heart of Riyadh.

Date: Nov. 20 to Dec. 6

Location: Various areas in Riyadh

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: MAMO Michelangelo

A dish at MAMO Michelangelo in Riyadh. (Courtesy of MAMO Michelangelo)

The renowned Italian Provencal restaurant created in 1992 can now be found in the heart of the Saudi capital. Enjoy delicious dishes from Italy and southern France like creamy burrata from Naples, lamb shoulder and truffle focaccia in elegant surroundings that mirror an upscale Italian trattoria. End your meal on a sweet note with traditional tiramisu or a lemon tart.

Location: Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh

Find more information here. 

3. Riyadh diary

A view of the opening of Tanween at Ithra. (Courtesy of Ithra)

• Tanween 2025 presents ‘Design Unspoken’

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), a cultural landmark in Dhahran, has launched the program for the eighth edition of Tanween, its flagship design event. Themed “Design the Unspoken,” this year’s edition encourages designers to anticipate needs not yet expressed and respond with innovative, bold and forward-thinking design.

The program brings together leading voices from across the global design community to explore new ideas, spark collaboration and deliver real-world impact through workshops, talks and design challenges.

Date: Until Nov. 22

Location: Ithra: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Dhahran

Find more information here.

• Saudi International Handicrafts Week (Banan) 

More than 400 artisans from over 40 countries are gathering together in Riyadh for the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan — an Arabic word meaning “fingertips” and a nod to skilled craftsmanship. Here, guests uncover live demonstrations of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri — the traditional Saudi wall paintings by women in the Asir region — and works by Chinese artisans in a pavilion designated for The People’s Republic of China, this year’s guest of honor. The event coincides with Saudi Arabia’s Year of Handicrafts 2025, an initiative by the Saudi Ministry of Culture to highlight and preserve traditional crafts. 

Date: Until Nov. 26

Location: Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh

Find more information here.

• Hegra After Dark

A poignant, awe-inspiring mix of light, sound and storytelling comes together as hundreds of drones illuminate the skies above the ancient heritage site of Hegra in AlUla. The event, which takes place each evening, transforms the UNESCO World Heritage site into a dazzling realm of light, history, myth and cutting-edge technology.

Date: Nov. 20-29

Location: Hega, AlUla

Find more information here.

4. Book of the week: ‘The Writing Culture of Ancient Dadan’

“The Writing Culture of Ancient Dadan: A Description and Quantitative Analysis of Linguistic Variation,” by Fokelien Kootstra, dives into the sociocultural context of writing in ancient western Arabia within the oasis of ancient Dadan (6-1 BC), now modern-day AlUla. Citing in-depth research and archival material, Kootstra offers an enlightening description and analysis of the language of the inscriptions found in Dadan and their linguistic variations, and what this says about the ancient civilization that once occupied western Arabia. 

5. View from Riyadh

A picture taken November 3, 2022 shows Saudi playing near installations at the Noor Riyadh lighting festival held at Al-Salam Park in the Saudi capital Riyadh. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images)

6. By the numbers

• Since 2021, Noor Riyadh has attracted more than 9.6 million visitors and spectators, presenting more than 550 artworks by 500 artists from around the world.