Venue
AlUla, Medina Province, Saudi Arabia
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AlUla Arts Festival guide
A month of desert art in AlUla.
In short
Contemporary art lovers should look at AlUla from roughly mid-January to mid-February, when the AlUla Arts Festival centres on the AlJadidah Arts District and Desert X AlUla places works across the landscape. The 2026 edition ran 16 January to 14 February, but 2027 dates had not been announced, and Ramadan may affect timing. Allow time for driving between sites.
For a month each winter, AlUla, the desert oasis in north-west Saudi Arabia best known for the Nabataean tombs of Hegra, fills its canyons and valleys with contemporary art. The AlUla Arts Festival runs from roughly mid January to mid February and is based in the AlJadidah Arts District.
The Royal Commission for AlUla had not announced 2027 dates by mid-October, so expect something close to mid January to mid February 2027. The fifth edition ran from 16 January to 14 February 2026.
Desert X AlUla is the main reason to come. Its fourth edition in 2026 placed ten new works out in the landscape, and seeing them properly takes a car and most of a day.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Where: AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Venue: AlJadidah Arts District
Held: Every year
Type of event: Cultural Events, Arts Festivals, Exhibition
Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR, ﷼)
Time zone: UTC+3, no daylight saving
Language: Arabic
Map
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Expected dates and how long exhibitions stay open
Some 2026 shows outlasted the festival: Desert X stayed up until 28 February, and other exhibitions ran into April. A similar window would put the 2027 festival at about 15 January to 13 February. Ramadan 2027 is expected to start around 8 February, which could shift the dates or push events into the evenings, so look at AlUla's official calendar in late 2026 before you book.
The festival's place in the AlUla Moments calendar
The festival is one strand of AlUla Moments, the Royal Commission's yearly calendar of culture, sport and wellness events, which also includes Winter at Tantora in December and January. New commissions arrive every year. In 2026 the Madrasat Addeera arts school kept running classes until the end of April, long after the main weeks were over.
Desert X, Arduna and the 2026 exhibitions
- Desert X AlUla
- the 2026 works took the theme "Space Without Measure", drawn from the poetry of Kahlil Gibran.
- Arduna
- the 2026 exhibition, organised with the Centre Pompidou ahead of AlUla's planned contemporary art museum, showed more than 80 works, Kandinsky and Picasso among them.
- The AlUla Design Exhibition and its pop-up stores sell and show work from the AlUla Artists Residency Programme and the AlUla Design Award.
- Photography
- Villa Hegra showed early 20th-century desert photographs in 2026.
- Performance and film
- concerts around AlJadidah, open-air screenings at Cinema AlJadidah and, in 2026, a dance piece in Wadi AlFann.
AlJadidah Arts District and Wadi AlFann
AlJadidah Arts District is the hub, with public art along the Incense Road and around Gathering Square and galleries including Madrasat Addeera and ATHR Gallery. Wadi AlFann is a valley set aside for large land art. Workshops and craft classes happen at Daimumah, a farm near AlUla Old Town. The Desert X works are spread far apart, so arrange transport in advance and allow a full day for them.
Flights to AlUla and onward travel
AlUla International Airport (ULH) has domestic flights from Riyadh and Jeddah. Medina is roughly 300 km to the south, and our guide to places to visit in Medina helps if you are combining the two. January days are good for walking, but desert nights are cold; pack a warm jacket. Beds are scarce, so book early. Most visitors also take a guided tour of Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and our list of museums in Saudi Arabia covers galleries elsewhere in the country.
What happens on the day
- Daytime
AlJadidah galleries
ATHR Gallery, Madrasat Addeera and the public art around Gathering Square.
- Daytime
Desert X AlUla
Large works spread across the desert; allow a full day and arrange transport.
- Workshops
Daimumah
Craft classes at the farm near the Old Town.
- Evenings
Concerts and films
Recent programmes included concerts, outdoor films and a dance piece.
Planning the rest of a Saudi Arabia trip
Our Saudi Arabia travel guide can help you plan the rest of the trip.
AlUla Moments and how the festival changes each year
AlUla Moments, the Royal Commission's yearly calendar, takes in this festival as well as Winter at Tantora. The work changes. New commissions appear every edition, so returning visitors find fresh pieces. In 2026, the fifth anniversary, Desert X AlUla placed ten new pieces in the desert under the theme Space Without Measure, drawn from the poetry of Kahlil Gibran.
The Arduna exhibition, curated together with Centre Pompidou, gathered more than 80 works, Kandinsky and Picasso among them, as a preview of a planned contemporary art museum. Design shows, early 20th-century desert photographs at Villa Hegra, concerts, outdoor films and a dance piece rounded out the programme.
Getting there
Flying in
AlUla International Airport (ULH) has domestic flights from Riyadh and Jeddah. For international connections see Dhaka to Riyadh, Dhaka to Jeddah or Bangkok to Riyadh flights, and our Saudi Arabia visa page.
From Medina
AlUla is roughly 300 km north of Medina by road; see Dhaka to Madina flights.
Around AlUla
Distances between sites are long; arrange a car or transport for each day.
Where to stay during the festival
Rooms in AlUla are scarce in festival season; book as soon as the dates are announced.
Give yourself at least a full day for the desert works, and add a guided visit to Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
AlUla
Banyan Tree AlUla5-star hotel
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from$1,000.00/ night
- Internet – Wifi
- Airport shuttle
- Swimming pool
4 Rooms available
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Weather and what to pack
Midwinter days in AlUla are pleasant and nights are cold. The airport averages a January high of 20°C and a low of 6.3°C, rising to 24.3°C and 9.3°C in February, with almost no rain (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
Temperatures drop sharply after dark; bring a warm coat for evening events.
Worth packing
- A warm coat for the evenings
- Sun hat and sunscreen for the desert works
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Modest clothing
Car hire in AlUla
Airport transfer to AlUla Arts Festival
Met at arrivals at AlUla International Airport (ULH) and driven door to door to AlJadidah Arts District.
- AlUla International Airport (ULH) → AlJadidah Arts District
- 34 km · 45 min
Restaurants and food in Saudi Arabia
Places to eat in Saudi Arabia before or after the celebrations.
Maraya Social
Rooftop, Maraya Concert Hall, Ashar Valley, Al Otheeb 43536, AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Cuisine:Modern EuropeanSharing plates
- Dine-in
- Outdoor seating
- Bar
Al Basali Seafood
Suq Bab Makkah, Al Balad, Jeddah 22236, Saudi Arabia
Cuisine:SeafoodHejazi
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Kuuru
Al Malik Road, Al Khalidiyyah, Jeddah 23422, Saudi Arabia
Cuisine:JapanesePeruvian
- Dine-in
- Counter seating
- Bar
Marble
Turki Square, Makkah Al Mukarramah Branch Road, Umm Al Hamam Al Sharqi, Riyadh 12321, Saudi Arabia
Cuisine:SteakhouseBarbecue
- Dine-in
Najd Village
Al Olaya, King Fahd District, Riyadh 12262, Saudi Arabia
Cuisine:SaudiNajdi
- Dine-in
- Private room
- Outdoor seating
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
Many exhibitions and the public art in AlJadidah have been free in past editions, though some need a booked time slot. Concerts, performances and certain workshops have been ticketed through Experience AlUla.
Desert X is a site-specific art exhibition that started in California's Coachella Valley in 2017. The AlUla edition, run with the Royal Commission for AlUla, began in 2020 and invites Saudi and international artists to make work for the landscape.
Wadi AlFann, the Valley of the Arts, is a long-term project for large permanent land art in a valley near AlUla, with commissions from artists such as Agnes Denes, Michael Heizer and James Turrell announced. Check the festival programme for which parts are open to visitors.
Three to four days lets you see the main exhibitions, Desert X and Hegra without rushing. Two days is tight once you add travel between sites.
Personal photos are usually welcome, especially at the outdoor works. Drones need permits in Saudi Arabia, and some indoor shows limit photography, so look for signs.
AlJadidah has cafés and small restaurants within walking distance of the galleries. Food is scarce at the desert sites, so take snacks and water when you drive out.
Some galleries in AlJadidah sell works, and craft studios at Daimumah and AlUla's markets sell local products. Most large installations are commissions and are not for sale.
Booking
Past editions have been free, with registration or timed entry through Experience AlUla. Book before you travel, especially for weekends, and check whether a shuttle runs from town.
Families & accessibility
Yes. Outdoor works give children room to explore, and family workshops have been part of past programmes. Bring water and sun protection for the desert sites.
Desert X works sit on sand and gravel, which is hard going for wheelchairs. The AlJadidah galleries are more accessible, and Experience AlUla can advise on assisted access.
Prices & payment
Accommodation is the main cost, and prices climb at the resorts during the season. Budget guesthouses and farm stays exist but fill quickly, so booking early makes the biggest difference.