Planning to connect more with your surroundings next year? The ancient Saudi oasis town of AlUla is where you need to be.
Desert X AlUla 2026 has been announced.
The fourth edition of the artsy event will be a part of the upcoming AlUla Arts Festival.
Stating from January, the open-air festival will be turning the oasis town into a hub for contemporary art, design, and culture.
The 44-day event will be curated by Wejdan Reda and Zoé Whitley, with Neville Wakefield and Raneem Farsi returning as artistic directors.
Desert X AlUla 2026
Desert X AlUla 2026 is back for its fourth edition, This international exhibition brings bold, site-specific installations by Saudi and global artists into AlUla’s dramatic valleys and canyons, all inspired by the landscape’s raw beauty and deep heritage. Guided by the poetic theme Space Without Measure, drawn from the writings of Kahlil Gibran, the experience invites visitors to wander, wonder, and see AlUla through a whole new creative lens.
Desert X AlUla 2026 location
If the fourth edition is anything like its predecessors, you will be able to marvel at installations in Wadi AlFann, AlJadidah Arts District, and Villa Hegra & Madrasat Addeera.
Desert X AlUla 2026 dates
Starting from Friday, January 16, you will have a whopping 44 days to explore the all-things-art celebrations until Saturday, February 28.
Desert X AlUla 2026 tickets
Tickets for Desert X AlUla will be released closer to the opening date of the 2026 edition.
What to expect from Desert X AlUla 2026
Desert X AlUla 2026 takes shape under the poetic title Space Without Measure, drawing inspiration from the writings of Kahlil Gibran and his reflections on limitless imagination, perception, and the human spirit. The edition brings together Saudi and international artists from different generations, all creating works that respond directly to AlUla’s dramatic desert landscapes. As visitors move across the region’s varied terrains, each artwork reveals itself within a unique natural setting, while Arts AlUla and the Royal Commission for AlUla continue to champion cultural revival, community engagement, skills development, and meaningful global artistic exchange.
Art in Saudi
Planning on spending January in Riyadh? Do not forget to check out ‘Bedayat: Beginnings of Saudi Art Movement‘ at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia. There is also the DAF of the Earth exhibition in Diriyah that you have to explore.
Fri Jan 16-Sat Feb 28. Across AlUla, experiencealula.com.
