RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, through Riyadh Art, announces the return of Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026, marking the seventh edition of the annual international sculpture symposium. The program will take place from 12 January to 22 February 2026 at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Street (known as Tahlia Street), Riyadh, bringing together 25 artists from 18 countries, including Saudi Arabia, to create new large-scale public artworks through a live sculpting experience open to the public.
This year's edition unfolds under the curatorial theme "Traces of What Will Be," exploring transformation as both a physical process and a metaphor for urban change. Rooted in material, site, and making, the theme invites artists to reflect on how traces of human intervention, memory, and ingenuity shape the future of cities and communities.
Live Sculpting as a Public Encounter
At the core of Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 is its live sculpting format, which allows visitors to observe the full artistic process as works take shape over time. From 12 January to 5 February 2026, artists will work on site, transforming locally sourced granite and reclaimed metal into finished sculptures. The open format offers a rare opportunity for the public to engage directly with contemporary sculptural practice, witnessing how raw materials evolve into enduring works of art.
This edition introduces two sculpting categories: granite with optional stainless steel integration and reclaimed metal, reinforcing the symposium's commitment to material exploration, sustainability, and innovation.
Curatorial Framework and Artistic Exchange
The curatorial direction for Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 is led by Lulwah Al Homoud, Rut Blees Luxemburg and Sarah Staton, whose combined practices span public art, spatial research, and contemporary visual culture. Together, they frame the symposium as a site of artistic exchange, where process, place, and future-oriented thinking converge.
Set on Tahlia Street, historically associated with Riyadh's first desalination plant, the location serves as a conceptual anchor for the theme. Its legacy of environmental ingenuity and transformation informs the artistic responses developed throughout the symposium.
A Growing Public Art Legacy
All artworks created during Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 will become part of the Riyadh Art permanent collection. Following the conclusion of the program, the sculptures will be permanently installed across key public spaces in the capital, contributing to Riyadh Art's long-term vision of integrating contemporary art into the city's urban fabric.
Since its launch in 2019, Tuwaiq Sculpture has welcomed more than 150 artists from around the world, establishing itself as a cornerstone of Riyadh's evolving cultural landscape and a platform for dialogue between local and global artistic practices.
Further details on the public exhibition of completed works will be announced separately.
For more information, visit: riyadhart.sa/en/tuwaiq-sculpture
For more information regarding Riyadh Art and Tuwaiq Sculpture, please contact:
Riyadh Art Media Center: info@riyadhart.sa
Notes to editors
About Tuwaiq Sculpture
Tuwaiq Sculpture is an annual sculpture symposium that brings local and international artists together to create public artworks in a live setting. Through an interactive program of workshops, school visits and talks, Tuwaiq Sculpture engages diverse communities and bolsters cultural exchanges. The symposium culminates in an on-site exhibition, with the sculptures enriching the Riyadh Art collection and later becoming a permanent feature of the Saudi capital's urban fabric.
Part of Riyadh Art, Tuwaiq Sculpture is a significant contributor to the Riyadh Art collection and the project's goal of commissioning 1,000 public artworks to be displayed across the city. After each edition of the symposium, sculptures are permanently installed in key locations across the city, becoming an integral part of Riyadh's urban fabric.
Tuwaiq Sculpture is a platform where local and international artists meet, collaborate, and create large-scale public artworks in a live setting. The open format of the symposium allows the public to observe the creative process, participate in interactive workshops and discuss the history and future of public art, effectively contributing to the enrichment of the cultural scene in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since its inception in 2019, Tuwaiq Sculpture has engaged 153 internationally renowned sculptors and thousands of visitors.
Website: https://riyadhart.sa/en/tuwaiq-sculpture/
About Riyadh Art
Riyadh Art is one of Riyadh's four original mega projects under Vision 2030 and is led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. Launched in 2019, it was developed to catalyze the capital's transformation, enrich lives, and encourage creative expression and cross-cultural dialogue through art. Art and culture are essential to the identity of a city, and the Riyadh Art initiative was established to reflect the openness and accessibility of the capital's growing creative landscape; where the exchange of ideas through artistic practice contributes to a deeper and more inclusive cultural identity.
Riyadh Art aims to have a positive impact on people, bringing everyday moments of joy to residents and visitors alike, while instilling a greater sense of civic pride and creating a more beautiful city for everyone to enjoy. It also supports the growth of the creative economy and contributes to attracting investment and talent to Riyadh.
Website: www.riyadhart.sa
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