Noor Riyadh 2024, World’s Largest Light Art Festival, Sees over 3 million Spectators

Noor Riyadh, the world’s largest light art festival and a flagship program of Riyadh Art, concluded its successful fourth edition, welcoming over 3 million spectators and bringing together over 60 artworks by more than 60 artists from 18 countries.

Under the theme Light Years Apart, audiences experienced the festival across three iconic hubs: King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Wadi Hanifah, and JAX District. The festival also featured a striking city-scale light installation at Al Faisaliah Tower, transforming Riyadh into a luminous celebration of art and innovation. This year’s festival brought together 18 Saudi and 43 international artists with site-specific and newly commissioned artworks.

Exceptional installations included Chris Levine’s Higher Power, a city-scale laser projection atop Al Faisaliah Tower; Maryam Tariq’s Shifting Perspectives, which explored perceptual ambiguity at Digital City; and Aether by United Visual Artists, a dazzling drone show at King Abdulaziz Historical Center. Another standout work, Rashed AlShashai’s The Fifth Pyramid, symbolized Riyadh’s cultural transformation.

Architect Khalid Al-Hazani, the executive director of Riyadh Art, bid farewell to the festival, saying “Noor Riyadh 2024 celebrated humanity’s connection to the stars, sparking inspiration and dialogue through the universal language of art. We look forward to continuing Riyadh’s journey of cultural transformation”.

Noor Riyadh festival director Nouf Almoneef said, “Once again, this year’s festival united local and international artists for a truly world-class festival. I extend my deepest gratitude to the incredible team — our staff, volunteers, and partners for their exceptional efforts and collaboration, as well as to the millions of spectators whose engagement made this festival unforgettable”.

As part of the community engagement program, which attracted over 52,000 participants, Noor Riyadh organized a variety of activities designed to inspire and connect with the community. These included engaging talks, insightful discussions, interactive workshops, creative experiences, family-friendly activities, and guided tours that enriched the festival experience for visitors. The seamless execution of these activities was made possible by a dedicated team comprising curators, artists, art explainers, tour guides, and installation crews, ensuring every participant enjoyed a memorable experience.

The festival’s success was made possible through the invaluable support of its partners, including the Ministry of Culture, JAX District, Al Khozama, Riyadh Region Municipality, Digital City, Visit Saudi, Independent Food, Nova Water, Careem, Uber, XP, Misk Art Institute, The Visual Arts Commission, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, SAMoCA, and Adhlal. Each partner played a significant role in bringing Noor Riyadh 2024 to life and ensuring its impact resonated across the community and beyond.

‏ Noor Riyadh underscores Riyadh Art’s mission to transform the city into a vibrant cultural hub for public art. As the world’s largest public art initiative, Riyadh Art recently unveiled monumental public artwork to coincide with the opening of Riyadh Metro. Installations such as Alexander Calder’s Janey Waney and Robert Indiana’s LOVE (Red Outside Blue Inside) further embody this commitment, turning Riyadh’s daily commute into a celebration of art, architecture, and creativity. Since 2019, Riyadh Art has presented over 500 artworks by more than 500 artists, attracting millions of visitors.

Noor Riyadh stands as a testament to the Kingdom’s dedication to fostering creativity, cultural dialogue, and public art. Noor Riyadh’s journey continues to illuminate Riyadh’s path as a global cultural destination.