Islamic Arts Biennale announces 2027 curators and Jeddah venue

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has announced the lead curators for the third edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, scheduled to begin on November 1, 2027. The event will take place at the West Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The curatorial team includes Nada Raza, Director of Alserkal Arts Foundation; William Robinson, former head of Christie’s Islamic Art department; Alain Fouad George, Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at Oxford University and Director of the Lusail Institute; and Idries Trevathan, former chief curator of Ithra.

As the world’s first biennale dedicated exclusively to Islamic art and culture, the 2027 edition aims to bridge historical artifacts with contemporary art. Each curator will develop distinct exhibitions exploring themes of mobility, cultural interaction, and the arts of Islamic societies. The program intends to emphasize both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, focusing on community and social resilience. Additionally, the biennial will expand its ‘AlMadar’ international platform to foster institutional collaborations and create a digitized archive involving museums and cultural organizations from Saudi Arabia and abroad.