• This partnership is made possible by ROSHN's YUHYEEK Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. This reinforces the Group’s commitment to shaping a vibrant cultural ecosystem of Saudi Arabia through various community focused initiatives, as part of the Vision 2030 drive to boost quality of life

RIYADH: ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga project, continues its commitment as Foundation Partner of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, supporting its second edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale. The Biennale takes place from February 20 to May 24, 2024 at the JAX District, a creative district with industrial heritage in the historic town of Diriyah This is one of the largest contemporary art events in the Kingdom, expected to attract over 200,000 visitors through its 12-week run.

ROSHN’s continued partnership with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation as a Foundation Partner is part of numerous community-focused initiatives and contributions of ROSHN under its YUHYEEK Corporate Social Responsibility program, which leverages the group’s size and scale to actively contribute to elevating the quality of life in Saudi Arabia by supporting arts, culture, and other significant events in the Kingdom.

The Biennale is titled After Rain, which conjures an image of revitalization and renewal and captures the experience of rapid change and exciting growth that is taking place across Saudi Arabia today. The curatorial team is led by globally renowned curator Ute Meta Bauer as Artistic Director and joined by co-curators Rose Lejeune, Wejdan Reda, Anca Rujoiu, Ana Salazar, and adjunct curator Rahul Gudipudi.

The Biennale has invited 100 artists to showcase their work. 177 artworks — including 47 newly commissioned pieces — spread across 12,900 sqm into the surrounding courtyards and terraces of the JAX district. Public programs, which are open to all, complement this large-scale exhibition, with more than 30 workshops, talks, poetry readings, activations and performances, and 11 cinematic works by artists. Since April 2023, a year-long series of artist talks, workshops, and presentations of sound and performance art, titled Biennale Encounters.

ROSHN’s activations at the Biennale include a series of art-focused workshops and panels presented by local and international artists, researchers and professors focused on building cultural dialogue and strengthening knowledge exchange. ROSHN is also organising its signature live and interactive tree planting activation led by botanists and field specialists as part of the group’s wider Green Initiative to increase green cover and environmental awareness across the Kingdom.

Ghada AlRumayan, ROSHN's Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, highlighted ROSHN’s commitment to supporting arts and culture in the Kingdom: “As a PIF-owned giga-project committed to fostering and enhancing creativity, innovation, and quality of life across different regions in the Kingdom, we recognise the profound impact of the arts on our society. We are thrilled to continue our commitment as Foundation Partner of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, supporting its second edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale. This is a testament to our values of empowerment and opportunity by boosting the artistic and cultural landscape of Saudi Arabia in-line with Vision 2030’s vibrant society goals. All of us at ROSHN are excited to see the latest creations of these world-leading artists.”

ROSHN role as Foundation Partner of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation adds to the group’s wide-ranging portfolio of sponsored cultural and arts initiatives, including presenting and hosting of Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium, sponsorship of Al Bisht Al Hasawi Festival in Al Ahsa, and the Group’s annual participation and sponsorship of the Riyadh and Jeddah Book Fairs, and community partnership of the cultural talent tournament. These partnerships underscore ROSHN’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the Kingdom by fostering cultural engagement and dialogue, extending this dedication beyond ROSHN’s developments.

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About ROSHN Group  

ROSHN Group is Saudi Arabia’s most trusted real estate developer and a giga-project wholly owned by the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). ROSHN’s multi-asset portfolio of integrated developments offer a new way of living for Saud Arabia, featuring connected amenities in walking distance with green spaces, sports hubs, and cycle lanes. Driven by technology, innovation, and sustainability, ROSHN Group is building at an unprecedented scale across Saudi Arabia with a current land bank of over 200 million sqm. By 2030, ROSHN will develop over 400,000 homes, as well as 1,000 kindergartens and schools, and over 700 mosques. 

ROSHN launched SEDRA, its flagship 35 million sqm community in Riyadh, in 2021, delivering homes in its first Phase ahead of schedule and becoming the Kingdom’s first giga-project to deliver to customers. The Group has since launched the 4 million sqm ALAROUS community in Jeddah and has announced further integrated developments: WAREFA in Riyadh (1.4 million sqm); ALFULWA in Al Ahsa (10.8 million sqm); and, most recently the Kingdom’s first canal project MARAFY, a mixed-use development in northern Jeddah bringing the Red Sea into the city. With over 300 square kilometers of waterfront promenade, covering a total area of more than 2 million square meters, MARAFY will feature more than 52,000 residential units with a population capacity of over 130,000 people.

As a national champion across a range of sectors, ROSHN takes a people-centric approach to building sustainably with an ethos of promoting ‘living beyond walls’ and enhancing quality of life across the Kingdom. As a member of the United Nations Global Compact, ROSHN pursues corporate excellence and partners with the best-in-class to set new standards in mainstream development, earning it the title of the best developer in the GCC by Construction Week Middle East’s Top 50 GCC Developers 2023 list.  

About Diriyah Biennale Foundation

Inspired by the changes taking place in Saudi Arabia and the heritage site of Diriyah, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation assumes a critical role in nurturing creative expression and instilling an appreciation for culture and the arts and their transformative potential. The Foundation aspires to be a catalyst for lifelong learning and serves Saudi Arabia’s communities by offering opportunities to engage with the burgeoning local art scene. At this historical moment of evolution and growth in Saudi Arabia, these Biennales will showcase some of the world’s leading artists, drive cultural exchange between the Kingdom and international communities, promote dialogue and understanding, and further establish Saudi Arabia as an important cultural center.

For more information on ROSHN’s new way of living visit roshn.sa