Desert X AlUla returns from 16 January to 28 February 2026, unveiling bold new land art commissions.
Desert X AlUla, the international open-air exhibition of site-responsive artworks set against the dramatic rock formations and oases of north-west Saudi Arabia, will return for its fourth edition from 16 January to 28 February 2026. Staged as a centrepiece of the fifth AlUla Arts Festival, the exhibition turns the ancient city into a living gallery of contemporary art, design and culture.
Artistic direction for Desert X AlUla 2026 is led by Neville Wakefield and Raneem Farsi, with curation by Wejdan Reda and Zoé Whitley. Reda is a leading Saudi curator and founder of Sahaba, known for co-curating the first and second Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale and currently serving as Curatorial Associate Director at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Whitley is an award-winning London-based curator and writer, named an honorary recipient of an OBE for Services to Art in 2025, whose independent projects span North America, Singapore, Italy, the United Arab Emirates and beyond.
For 2026, the curatorial team has chosen the theme Space Without Measure, inspired by the poetic vision of Lebanese-American writer Kahlil Gibran. His reflections on possibility, perception and the expansiveness of the human spirit resonate with AlUla’s seemingly infinite horizons. In this context, each temporary installation will act as a landmark for contemplation, guiding visitors through moments of connection, hope and shared experience.
Since its inaugural edition in 2020, Desert X AlUla has commissioned more than 45 works, creating a growing legacy of art in dialogue with the desert. It has become a vital platform for multigenerational artists from Saudi Arabia and around the world, contributing to the evolving cultural identity of AlUla and the wider region. Participating artists for the 2026 edition will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The new edition will be presented across several locations, including the desert canyons that will host Wadi AlFann, a 65-square-kilometre open-air museum and permanent land art destination set to open from 2028.
Desert X AlUla 2026 is presented as a ticketed event in collaboration between Desert X and Arts AlUla. Building on the legacy of Desert X in California’s Coachella Valley, which recently marked its 10th anniversary edition, the exhibition draws on the principles of land art to offer a powerful experience of art in direct conversation with nature. At the heart of Saudi Arabia’s growing arts ecosystem, AlUla serves as both a living museum of human history and a vibrant hub for contemporary creativity.
Visitors to Desert X AlUla 2026 will journey through varied terrains, encountering each artwork within its own distinctive setting and sensing how it responds to the surrounding geology, light and stories.
GO: Visit experiencealula.com for more information.