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Saudi Culture Ministry to Feature at Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

Through a curated cultural program, the ministry will highlight the diversity of Saudi culture and its contemporary creative renaissance
Through a curated cultural program, the ministry will highlight the diversity of Saudi culture and its contemporary creative renaissance
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Saudi Culture Ministry to Feature at Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

Through a curated cultural program, the ministry will highlight the diversity of Saudi culture and its contemporary creative renaissance
Through a curated cultural program, the ministry will highlight the diversity of Saudi culture and its contemporary creative renaissance

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is set to host a comprehensive program of cultural events at the Abbazia building in Venice, Italy, from May 10 to November 23. This initiative is part of Saudi Arabia's participation in the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale.
Through a curated cultural program, the ministry will highlight the diversity of Saudi culture and its contemporary creative renaissance, while contributing to global discourse on key issues such as the preservation of cultural heritage and artistic innovation.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, the events will spotlight several cultural sectors, including architecture and design, heritage, visual arts, fashion, and culinary arts. The program will also feature panel discussions and workshops in traditional crafts and other fields, providing the international community with insights into the defining features of Saudi culture, its uniqueness, and its deep historical and civilizational roots.
The cultural activities will be held within the two-story Abbazia building. The ground floor will be dedicated to an exhibition titled "Rooted Transience", which forms part of the official collateral event in the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale and showcases the winning design of the AlMusalla Prize 2025.
The statement added that the upper floor of the venue will include a fully equipped conference hall, designated for the presentation of distinguished cultural programming throughout the Biennale period. These events will underscore Saudi Arabia's artistic and cultural excellence through collaborations with leading cultural and artistic institutions in Venice and across Italy.

A cultural retail space will also be available, featuring a curated selection of artisanal products representing Saudi heritage and premium culinary offerings such as traditional Saudi coffee and dates.
The cultural events organized by the Ministry of Culture as part of the 2025 Venice Biennale represent a key aspect of its ongoing efforts to strengthen Saudi culture's presence on international platforms and introduce the global community to the diversity of the Kingdom's cultural heritage and the aesthetic and creative vitality of its artistic scene, reflecting the cultural renaissance taking place in the Kingdom.

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Diriyah Art Futures, Schiattarella Associati Inaugurate 'The Light Footprint' Exhibition in Venice

The Light Footprint exhibition is hosted at Venice's Querini Stampalia Foundation. (SPA)
The Light Footprint exhibition is hosted at Venice's Querini Stampalia Foundation. (SPA)
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Diriyah Art Futures, Schiattarella Associati Inaugurate 'The Light Footprint' Exhibition in Venice

The Light Footprint exhibition is hosted at Venice's Querini Stampalia Foundation. (SPA)
The Light Footprint exhibition is hosted at Venice's Querini Stampalia Foundation. (SPA)

The Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the MENA region's first New Media Arts hub, inaugurated on Thursday "The Light Footprint," an exhibition in collaboration with Italian architecture studio Schiattarella Associati.

The exhibition's launch, which runs until June 15, coincides with the opening of the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2025 and explores the architectural development of DAF's groundbreaking headquarters in Riyadh, said DAF in a statement.

The Light Footprint exhibition is hosted at Venice's Querini Stampalia Foundation and presents architectural models, sketches, videos, drawings, photographs, and archival objects to highlight the development process of DAF's remarkable headquarters.

The opening event brought together Advisor to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture Mona Khazindar, Director of DAF Haytham Nawar, and Principal Architects of Schiattarella Associati Amedeo and Andrea Schiattarella for a guided curator-led tour of the exhibition, highlighting the building's architectural and conceptual vision.

Designed by Schiattarella Associati, the DAF hub sets a new benchmark for developing technologically advanced cultural landmarks that integrate historical context with forward-thinking architectural design. Carved into the escarpment of Diriyah, the design draws on Najdi traditions, local materials, and a philosophy that prioritizes sustainability, cultural resonance, and human connection.

Khazindar stated: "We are pleased to present our vision for Diriyah Art Futures alongside the launch of the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2025. This project embodies our efforts to develop forward-looking cultural institutions that foster bold experimentation and new forms of creative expression rooted in our distinct heritage."

"Through projects like Diriyah Art Futures, we are establishing new benchmarks for contemporary cultural institutions while transforming the Kingdom into a leading global capital for cultural exchange," she added.

Amedeo and Andrea Schiattarella said: "Our work begins with the belief that architecture must resist the global flattening of cultural identity by embracing the uniqueness of place. With Diriyah Art Futures, we sought to create something deeply rooted in the local context, which draws on natural materials, historical continuity, and the values of the Najdi tradition to build a contemporary language tied to its environment."

Developed by the Museums Commission, one of the 11 sector-specific commissions of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, DAF is an arts, research, and education hub driven by a belief in the power of interdisciplinary creative practice at the intersection of science and technology.

DAF's 6,550-square-meter hub is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, symbolizing Saudi Arabia's efforts to develop forward-looking institutions, with strong roots in the nation's unique cultural heritage.

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