Artists from around the world are invited to respond to the theme From Then To Now. Applications close 8 September 2024
In preparation for Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025, Riyadh Art invites artists from around the world to respond to the theme From Then To Now, with particular focus on creating public artworks using local stones as part of Riyadh’s cultural and artistic landscape.
Applications are open until 8 September 2024. An independent committee of experts and specialists in art and sculpture from various artistic fields will review and evaluate the submissions, selecting the final list of participating artists.
The sixth edition of its annual sculpture event, scheduled to take place from 15 January to 9 February 2025, will bring together a select group of sculptors from Saudi Arabia and around the world for a series of public art sculptures in Riyadh.
The Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium aims to embrace both national and international talents, enhancing their impact on the cultural landscape of Riyadh. It provides opportunities for artists to create sustainable creative works that contribute to the development of the Saudi capital.
The open call is eligible to sculptors from around the world with at least five years experience in sculpting and exhibiting in outdoor spaces and galleries. Selected artists will have the opportunity to work with Saudi-sourced granite stones in three distinct colours – Royal Gold, Green, and Royal Rose – as well as on Black Basalt.
A total of 30 local and international artists will be selected to partake in this prestigious symposium, convening in Riyadh for 22 days of live sculpting. The symposium offers an artist fee and covers all associated expenses, including accommodation and return flights for international participants. Once the sculptures are completed, they will be exhibited in the Sculpture Symposium, before being permanently placed across the city’s landscape as part of the ongoing formation of a 1,000-work Riyadh Art collection.
The Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025 will be led by lead curator Sebastian Montoya and associate curator Dr. Manal Alharbi. Montoya is currently serving as the Senior Public Art Specialist at Qatar Museums, where he develops and curates numerous high-profile public art projects. Dr. Manal Alharbi, a prominent figure in the Saudi art scene, will contribute her expertise in sculpture and academic research to the symposium.
In parallel with the live sculpting sessions, the symposium will offer a dynamic public community engagement program, actively involving local communities through school and university visits, hands-on workshops, and insightful panel discussions led by experts in art, sculpture, and urbanism. Participating artists will have the chance to share their skills and knowledge, fostering a deeper appreciation for public art by the broader audience.
In its previous five editions, the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium has seen the participation of more than 120 internationally renowned sculptors from within Saudi and around the world.
The Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium is a key project of Riyadh Art, and part of the Riyadh mega projects launched in 2019 by His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulazizin and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
Find out more about the application process for the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025
