Open Call Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025

⚠ The Call has been extended to September 8, 2024! ⚠

Riyadh Art launches open call for artists to participate in Tuwaiq Sculpture 2025

• Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025 is the sixth edition of the annual sculpture event
• Artists from around the world are invited to respond to the theme "From Then To Now", which focuses on creating public artworks using local stones, to enhance Riyadh’s cultural and artistic landscape.
• Open call runs from August 4 till September 1, 2024.
• A total of 30 artists will be selected for the symposium, which will take place in Riyadh from January 15 to February 9, 2025.
• Tuwaiq Sculpture is an annual international sculpture symposium, part of Riyadh Art, one of the largest public art projects in the world today.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – August 4, 2024 -- Riyadh Art has announced the preparation of the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025 -- the sixth edition of its annual sculpture event -- scheduled to take place from January 15 to February 9, 2025, under the theme "From Then To Now".  This event will bring together a select group of sculptors from Saudi Arabia and around the world, to create public art sculptures using stones from the Kingdom, contributing to the cultural art scene of Riyadh.

The Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium is a key project of Riyadh Art, which is part of the Riyadh mega projects launched by His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz, on March 19, 2019. These projects were an initiative of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

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 and enrichment of the Saudi capital, improve the quality of life for its residents and visitors, while building the creative economy of the Kingdom

The Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025 will start accepting artist applications for its sixth edition from August 4 to September 1, 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.

Eligible sculptors from around the world, with at least five years experience in sculpting and exhibiting in outdoor spaces and galleries, are invited to submit their proposals in alignment with the curatorial theme. Selected artists will have the opportunity to work on Saudi-sourced granite stones in three distinct colors -- Royal Gold, Green, and Royal Rose -- as well as on Black Basalt, encouraging innovative usages of these traditional materials.

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 before being permanently placed across Riyadh, enhancing the city’s urban landscape.

The Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025 will be led by two distinguished curators: Sebastian Montoya, Lead Curator, and Dr. Manal Alharbi, Associate Curator. Sebastian Montoya brings a wealth of international experience and 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, combines her expertise in sculpture and academic research, to enhance the symposium’s cultural and educational impact. Together, they will curate an inspiring and diverse range of artworks, ensuring that the symposium not only showcases exceptional talent, but also contributes to the cultural enrichment of Riyadh.

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 the Kingdom and around the world, reflecting its significant role in the global sculpture scene.

For more information on the application process for the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium 2025, please visit the Riyadh Art program website at the following link:

https://riyadhart.sa/en/opencall/tuwaiq-sculpture-2025-open-call/

About Riyadh Art

Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, is on a mission to become one of the world's most livable and competitive cities, a global city which is open for business and that welcomes the world. With a young and rapidly growing population of 7.5 million residents, Riyadh is transforming into a vibrant and cosmopolitan global city.

Art and culture reflect the spirit of a city, and so the Riyadh Art project has been developed to turn the whole capital into a creative canvas - a gallery without walls - to enrich lives, ignite creative expression and kindle the creative economy. Riyadh Art is a demonstration of the open, accessible, creative transformation of the capital, where the exchange of ideas through creative expression develops a deeper mutual understanding and respect, while instilling a greater sense of civic pride and creating a more beautiful city for everyone to enjoy. It will also spark development of the new creative economy and have a positive effect in attracting new businesses to invest in the city.

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About Tuwaiq Sculpture

Tuwaiq Sculpture is an annual sculpture symposium that brings local and international artists together to create public artworks in a live setting. Through an interactive program of workshops, school visits, and talks, Tuwaiq Sculpture engages diverse communities and bolsters cultural exchanges. The symposium culminates in an on-site exhibition, with the sculptures enriching the Riyadh Art collection and later becoming a permanent feature of the Saudi capital’s urban fabric.

As part of Riyadh Art, Tuwaiq Sculpture is a significant contributor to the Riyadh Art collection, which aims to commission 1,000 public artworks to be displayed across the city. After each symposium edition, sculptures are permanently installed in key locations across the city, becoming an integral part of Riyadh’s urban fabric.

Tuwaiq Sculpture is a platform where local and international artists meet, collaborate, and create large-scale public artworks in a live setting. The open format of the symposium allows the public to observe the creative process, participate in interactive workshops, and discuss the history and future of public art, effectively contributing to the enrichment of the cultural scene in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since its inception in 2019, Tuwaiq Sculpture has engaged over 120 internationally renowned sculptors and thousands of visitors.

Website:   https://riyadhart.sa/en/programs/tuwaiq-sculpture/