For many years, Saudi Arabia was primarily known globally for its oil economy, religious centers and conservative social structure. Over the past decade, however, the country has embarked on a profound cultural transformation. Alongside economic reforms, Saudi Arabia has begun investing heavily in culture and the arts, positioning them as strategic sectors within its national development agenda.

This magnificent country, which I have visited many times over the years and which I love very much, is actually a spiritual geography that glorifies all Islamic arts and emulates our values. For me, Saudi Arabia is also a field of memory archaeology and the center of the art of remembrance.

Under the Vision 2030 program announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, culture has become a key pillar of the country's effort to diversify its economy and reshape its global image. Museums, biennials, cultural districts and public art programs are rapidly emerging across cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Al‑Ula and Diriyah.

These developments are transforming Saudi Arabia into one of the most dynamic cultural hubs in the Middle East. For years, cities such as Dubai and Doha dominated the region’s art market and museum landscape. Today, Riyadh is increasingly entering that conversation as a new cultural powerhouse.

Culture as strategy

At the center of Saudi Arabia’s cultural transformation lies Vision 2030. This ambitious national reform program seeks to reduce the country’s dependence on oil by expanding sectors such as tourism, entertainment, culture and creative industries.

The Ministry of Culture, established in 2018, has since launched numerous initiatives across visual arts, film, music, theater, literature and heritage preservation. Cultural development in the kingdom is guided by three primary goals: strengthening cultural infrastructure, supporting local artists and integrating Saudi Arabia into the global cultural network.

New museums, festivals and public art programs are being built as part of this strategy. Cultural institutions are also increasingly collaborating with international partners, helping Saudi Arabia position itself as a global cultural actor.

From industrial zone to art hub

One of the most visible symbols of this transformation is the JAX District in Riyadh’s Diriyah area. Once an industrial warehouse district, the area has been redeveloped into a major creative hub hosting galleries, studios, exhibition spaces and creative agencies.

Today, the JAX District functions as a creative ecosystem where artists, curators, designers, and cultural organizations collaborate and produce new work.

At the heart of this district stands the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA), which opened in 2023. As the country’s first museum dedicated entirely to contemporary art, SAMoCA represents a milestone in the kingdom’s cultural development.

Its opening exhibition was part of the international Bienalsur contemporary art biennial and featured artists from more than 27 countries. The museum aims not only to exhibit art but also to support education, artist residencies and international collaboration.

Biennials, international cultural events

Saudi Arabia’s growing cultural presence is also reflected in its large-scale art events. One of the most important among them is the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, which brings together artists, curators and researchers from around the world.

Another major event is Noor Riyadh, one of the largest light-art festivals globally. The festival transforms the Saudi capital into an enormous open-air gallery filled with large-scale installations, projections and digital artworks. Millions of visitors attend each year.

These festivals demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s ambition to integrate public art into everyday life while simultaneously attracting international audiences.

Public art, urban transformation

Cultural transformation in Saudi Arabia is also visible in the urban landscape. The Riyadh Art initiative, launched in 2019, aims to transform the capital into one of the world’s largest public art galleries. The project plans to install more than 1,000 public artworks across the city, including sculptures, digital installations and architectural interventions.

Public art programs are also creating opportunities for emerging Saudi artists, enabling them to present their work to a broad audience beyond gallery spaces.

New museums

Museum development is another pillar of Saudi Arabia’s cultural strategy. Alongside SAMoCA, several new institutions are opening or planned across the country. Among them are the Red Sea Museum in Jeddah, which explores the maritime history of the region and the Al‑Faisal Museum for Arab‑Islamic Art in Riyadh.

These institutions aim to combine heritage with contemporary cultural production while supporting research, education and international exchange.

Saudi contemporary artists

The rapid expansion of the art ecosystem has also enabled a new generation of Saudi artists to gain international visibility. Many of these artists explore themes such as identity, urban transformation, environmental change and technological culture.

Artists such as Saeed Gebaan create kinetic installations exploring the relationship between nature and technology. Hatem al‑Ahmad works with video and performance art to address environmental concerns, while Shahd Youssef experiments with materials and ecological ideas in projects addressing pollution and sustainability. Their work reflects a broader shift in Saudi contemporary art toward socially engaged and globally connected practices.

Digital art, new media

Digital art has also become a major component of Saudi Arabia’s contemporary art scene. Festivals like Noor Riyadh feature large-scale light sculptures, drone performances, augmented reality experiences and multimedia installations.

These works often combine technology, architecture and urban space, attracting younger audiences and positioning the kingdom as an experimental platform for digital creativity.

New cultural competition in Gulf region

For decades, the Gulf’s cultural leadership belonged primarily to Dubai and Doha. However, Saudi Arabia’s massive investments in museums, festivals and public art are now reshaping the regional cultural landscape.

Riyadh is rapidly emerging as a new cultural center, attracting artists, curators, collectors and institutions from across the world.

Potential cultural collaborations

The rapidly developing contemporary art ecosystem in Saudi Arabia also offers significant opportunities for new cultural collaborations with Türkiye. Historical relations dating back to the Ottoman period, along with a shared Islamic cultural heritage, provide a strong foundation for artistic and cultural dialogue between the two countries.

Museums, art institutions and biennials in Türkiye could establish reciprocal exhibitions, artist exchange programs and curatorial collaborations with the newly emerging cultural centers in Saudi Arabia. Joint initiatives between international events such as the Istanbul Biennial and art biennials and festivals held in Riyadh could help bring the art communities of the two countries closer together.

In addition, areas such as digital art, public art projects, artist residency programs, cultural heritage research and educational initiatives for emerging artists offer strong potential for collaborative projects.

Such cultural dialogue would not only enrich artistic production but also contribute to building a new bridge of cultural diplomacy between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

Future cultural geography

The cultural transformation taking place in Saudi Arabia today represents more than an arts policy. It reflects a broader attempt to redefine the country’s global identity.

With new museums, biennials and cultural districts rising across the kingdom, Saudi Arabia is working to build a powerful cultural presence in the Middle East.

In the coming years, Riyadh and other Saudi cities are likely to become not only economic hubs but also influential cultural destinations, shaping the future of the region’s art world.