The Diriyah Biennale Foundation (DBF) has announced the lead curatorial team for the third edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, set to open on 1 November 2027 at the Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The upcoming edition brings together an international curatorial panel featuring Nada Raza, Director of the Alserkal Arts Foundation; William Robinson, former head of Islamic Art at Christie’s; Alain Fouad George, I. M. Pei Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Oxford and Director of the Lusail Institute in Doha; and Idries Trevathan, former Chief Curator at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).
The four curators will lead distinct exhibitions focused on intangible heritage, community resilience, and historical masterpieces sourced from international collections.
“In Nada Raza, William Robinson, Alain Fouad George, and Idries Trevathan, we have four curators whose scholarship spans auction houses, universities, museums and art institutions,” said H.E. Rakan Altouq, Vice Chairman of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “The breadth and diversity of their experience will deliver a unique and memorable third edition that continues to celebrate and advance the depth and diversity of Islamic culture.”
Conceived by the DBF, the Islamic Arts Biennale is the world’s only biennale dedicated exclusively to historical and contemporary narratives of Islamic art and culture. Located at the Aga Khan Award–winning terminal in Jeddah—a historical gateway for millions of pilgrims traveling to Makkah and Madinah—the event pairs historical artefacts with newly commissioned contemporary works.
Aya Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, noted that the curatorial team’s experience demonstrates “the richness, diversity, historical depth, and contemporary relevance of the Islamic arts.”
The 2027 edition will also expand two signature initiatives:
- AlMadar (“The Orbit”): A collaborative platform connecting Saudi and global institutions through exhibitions, research, and institutional exchange. The 2027 programme will launch a digitized archival platform and expanded international programming.
- The AlMusalla Prize: An architectural competition examining spaces of worship. The winning design for a temporary prayer space will be installed beneath the Hajj Terminal’s canopy alongside public programmes.
Established in 2020 and chaired by H.H. Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation alternates annually between hosting the Islamic Arts Biennale and the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, alongside managing the JAX creative district in Diriyah, Riyadh.
