Diriyah Art Futures is set to transform the region into a vibrant hub of creativity with a bold programme of talks, workshops, and exhibitions exploring the intersection of art, technology, and Arab identity
This summer, Saudi Arabia is the place to be for art lovers, tech tinkerers, and creative minds of all ages. At Diriyah Art Futures (DAF)—the MENA region’s first hub dedicated to New Media Art—a vibrant, high-energy programme is transforming the way we experience art and technology.
Running alongside Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World, the DAF summer series brings together talks, workshops, and immersive masterclasses that break down the boundaries between digital experimentation and artistic storytelling.
The exhibition itself is a first-of-its-kind survey of the region’s digital art landscape, showcasing more than 70 provocative works by over 40 Arab artists. Themes like ‘Glitch’, ‘Autonomy’, and ‘Ripples’ invite audiences to consider how new media can reflect—and reshape—the region’s collective memory and future aspirations.
But it’s the hands-on programming that makes this summer unmissable. From motion design and pixel art to archival storytelling and 3D scanning, the workshops span disciplines, generations, and creative thresholds. Expect everything from a playful Art Bot lab for kids to a sophisticated masterclass on digital memory by the UK’s acclaimed ScanLAB Projects.
In July, the launch of Rewiring Narratives: New Media Art from the Arab World promises to be a highlight. Co-edited by Haytham Nawar and Ala Younis, this book—and its accompanying symposium—marks a milestone moment in regional art historiography, tracing new genealogies of Arab media art outside of the Western canon.
Meanwhile, artist Raed Ibrahim’s masterclass on material storytelling and talk on art as a response to social transformation is a powerful reminder that even in a hyper-digital world, texture, tactility, and narrative still matter.
DAF’s programme is not just an invitation to view art—it’s a call to engage, participate, and rethink. With events running through 19 July 2025, there’s time to immerse yourself in the shifting, shimmering space where tradition meets tech, and where regional creativity takes on a global lens.
In a world awash with content, Diriyah Art Futures offers something more enduring: experience, experimentation, and a sense of wonder.
For more information and to book tickets, visit daf.moc.gov.sa/en or follow @DAFmoc on Instagram.
Images supplied. Lead image courtesy of @DAFmoc
