The Islamic Arts Biennale returns to Jeddah in 2025

The exhibition takes place at King Abdulaziz Airport. 

Art lovers, get ready to paint the town. The Islamic Arts Biennale has announced that it is returning to Jeddah in 2025. Running from Wednesday, 25 January to Sunday, 25 May 2025, the event will take place within the Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz Airport. 

The Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah originally took place in 2023. The first theme was Awwal Bait, which translates to First House. The name refers to the Holy Ka’bah in Mecca, which is one of the most sacred sites in Islam. The second edition will build on the original theme, and is dedicated to Islamic art. 

The Islamic Arts Biennale will also see the return of the Al Madar exhibition and Homage Gallery. The collection details the history of Mecca and Madinah. The next edition will include works of art, artefacts and new pieces. 

The expanded team behind the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale hails from diverse backgrounds and brings expertise in Islamic culture, including fine art, philosophy, crafts, and archaeology, to the Biennale.

The 2025 Biennale is led by Artistic Directors Amin Jaffer (Director of the Al Thani Collection), Julian Raby (former lecturer at the University of Oxford and former director of the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian Institution), Abdulrahman Azzam (author, historian, and Senior Expert Advisor for AlMadar at the Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023), and Contemporary Art Curator Muhannad Shono (Saudi artist).

If you can’t wait until 2025, the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale takes place from 20 February to 24 May. Held in JAX District, this year’s title is After Rain. The exhibition looks at water as a necessity for all life forms, and presents work that engages with the environment. The exhibition draws inspiration from the moment before and after it rains.  

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GO: Visit https://biennale.org.sa for more information.