The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran is welcoming visitors to the Ithra Art Prize Exhibition 2026, running from 3 August to 31 December 2026. The exhibition presents artworks shortlisted for the final stage of the seventh Ithra Art Prize.
Held at the Ithra Museum, Gallery 1 as part of the Arts and Design programme, it introduces the public to the work and practices of the five finalists. The exhibition offers a space that highlights diverse directions and approaches in contemporary art.
The 2026 exhibition brings together projects by five artists who reached the final stage of the prize’s seventh edition, following production grants that enabled them to develop and present their work to the public.
Visitors can explore participating artistic practices and the ideas they bring to questions of people, society, culture and memory, in a museum experience reflecting the diversity of the contemporary-art scene.
Presenting these works at Ithra is a significant milestone in the prize journey, enabling artists to share their work at one of Saudi Arabia’s leading cultural institutions and reach a broad audience of art and culture enthusiasts.
A Prize Supporting Contemporary Art Since 2017
The Ithra Art Prize was launched in 2017 as part of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture’s initiatives to support artists and contemporary creative practice, providing spaces for the development, production and presentation of artworks.
The biennial prize has held artistic milestones in cities including Dubai, AlUla and Riyadh. Dhahran now hosts works from its seventh edition at Ithra, reflecting the centre’s continuing role in supporting the cultural and artistic scene and opening dialogue between artists and audiences around new experiences and concepts in contemporary art.
During the exhibition, attention will turn to the October 2026 announcement of the Ithra Art Prize winner, following evaluation of the finalist works.
The selected work will join Ithra’s permanent art collection, giving it an enduring presence among the centre’s cultural and artistic holdings.
The exhibition continues through the end of December, giving audiences several months to discover the participating works and the artistic practices shortlisted for the prize.
