DUBAI: The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has unveiled an expanded lineup of Public Programs for April, deepening engagement around the third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, which continues to welcome visitors at Jax District until May 2, 2026.
Positioned as a cornerstone of the foundation’s year-round programming, the public programs extend the biennale beyond its exhibition format into a platform of talks, screenings, workshops, and performances. The initiatives aim to make curatorial research more accessible, while fostering dialogue between artists, practitioners, and audiences through shared, participatory experiences.
A highlight of the April calendar is the return of the Research Room, now in its second edition and titled “Timekeepers: The Archive in Flux.” Running from April 22-25, the four-day symposium brings together artists, researchers, and practitioners to examine the relationship between art and everyday life through a multidisciplinary lens.
This year’s edition features a mix of talks, workshops, screenings and participatory formats, with contributions from Yasmina Hilal, Nuwah, the Arab Design Archive, KWLA Lab and Anthropology Bel3araby. The program culminates in a series of presentations and activations that further the biennale’s exploration of archival practices.
Building on this theme, several April initiatives consider the archive as a living, evolving medium. Among them is “Selves in Transit: Archiving Image in Movement,” a three-day masterclass led by Darkroom Amman, which invites participants to experiment with stop-motion techniques to animate personal and family archives using photographs, documents and memorabilia linked to migration and transformation.
In “In the Presence of Absence,” filmmaker and artist Tamer El-Said reflects on the artistic, technical, and ethical dimensions of working with archives, focusing on how meaning is shaped through selection, mediation, and reuse. Meanwhile, “A Counter-Archive Lab: Micro-residency,” led by Anthropology Bel3araby, offers a six-day intensive program centered on collective research and interdisciplinary experimentation, culminating in a public activation.
The foundation is also collaborating with Christie’s on “Contemporary Art in the Middle East: On Culture and Value,” a masterclass led by Ted Sandling, Marie-Claire Tissen, and Ghada Al-Harthi. Through lectures, discussions and studio visits at JAX District, the program explores the regional art ecosystem and its connections to global cultural economies.
Alongside these offerings, the biennale continues its community-focused initiatives, including dedicated sessions for children with special needs and orphaned children. Delivered by specialists in education and creative therapy, the sessions are designed to encourage self-expression, build confidence and foster belonging.
The biennale’s “Cinema Nights” program also continues throughout April in partnership with the Red Sea Film Foundation, presenting a curated selection of short film screenings.
