Noor Riyadh 2025: A City of Light, Art, and Pure Vibes
A City Glowing With Possibilities
So eye-catching you won’t want to blink, Noor Riyadh – the Saudi capital’s annual city-wide light art festival – is back and brighter than ever. Running from 20th November to 6th December, this year’s theme is – appropriately enough – ‘In the Blink of an Eye’ and is inspired by the lightning-fast transformation of Riyadh itself.
You’ll see that inspiration in action as the artworks showcase kinetic sculpture, responsive installations, interactive environments, and technology-driven artworks to reflect Riyadh’s motion and movement, energy and change. From glowing walkways, to towering sculptures rotating and shimmering, Noor Riyadh is a truly immersive, free to visit, experience that traces the flow of people to embody the spirit of a city in constant motion.
Follow the Light: Trails, Metro Stops, and City Routes
Fortunately, you won’t need to move at light speed yourself to see all of these 60+ artworks across the city as three of Riyadh’s metro stations are pulling double duty as both transport hubs and art galleries. The route links modern architecture, heritage streets, museums, and financial districts — so you can move towards the lights on foot or by train.
The art-a-track runs from KAFD Metro Station, stc Metro Station, Al Faisaliah Tower, and onto King Abdulaziz Historical District, which is also easily accessible from the last stop, Qasr Al Hokm – It’s worth noting that the start and end points also made the list of our top five modern architectural wonders of Saudi! Jax Art District, Riyadh’s modern day art hub, is also a Noor Riyadh location, serving as a shining satellite to the central city trail.
Who’s Lighting Up the City?
What about the artists and artworks themselves? In keeping with the spirit of Riyadh itself, it’s a mix of over 50 of the best and brightest of international and local light-art talent. To offer a glimpse, there’s Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Makhshoush with ‘Untitled’ and Abdelrahman Elshahed with ‘Between the Lines (I Love You);’ South Korea’s Ayoung Kim with ‘the Delivery Dancer’s Sphere;’ and China’s Wang Yuyang with ‘Moon 20190901’ and ‘Relationship.’ Other artists taking part include Saad Al Howede, Monira Al Qadiri, Abdulrahman Al Soliman, James Clar, Ivana Franke, fuse*, Shinji Ohmaki, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Muhannad Shono. There’s also a special installation paying tribute to the late and legendary Safeya Binzagr, a leading figure of Saudi’s modern art movement and the first Saudi woman artist to hold a solo exhibition.
Riyadh, but Make It Luminous
In short, all this is a metaphor for Riyadh itself, proud of its local heritage and creativity, but welcoming the world. Just as intended by this year’s curators, Mami Kataoka (Curatorial Advisory Lead), Sara Almutlaq (Curator), and Li Zhenhua (Curator). They’re proudly turning up the brightness of Noor Riyadh’s history, which includes dazzling over nine million visitors since 2021, illuminating more than 500 artists, and igniting over 6,500 community engagement activities – and that’s not to mention the 16 Guinness World Records the event has secured.
So, if you’re already in the Kingdom or need some balmy weather, a vibrant cultural mix, and the cutting edge in immersive light art, get yourself to Noor Riyadh and light us up on the socials when you do.
