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Culture 7 min readFebruary 18, 2026
Why Jeddah's art scene is about to explode
N
Nouf Al-Mutairi
The Journal
New commissions, private foundations and a young generation of curators are rewriting the Red Sea's cultural map.
When the first Islamic Arts Biennale opened, few expected it would kick off a multi-year program stretching across historic Jeddah and beyond. Private foundations — Art Jameel, MiSK Art Institute, Athr Gallery's expanded outpost in Al-Balad — are now commissioning at a pace that rivals any Gulf capital. The result is a year-round cultural economy, not just a seasonal festival.
