If you want one Middle East trip in early 2026 that blends contemporary art, dramatic landscapes, and cultural tourism into a single itinerary, AlUla is the strongest candidate.

The AlUla Arts Festival 2026 runs from 16 January to 14 February 2026, turning the oasis, the old town, and the surrounding desert into a month of exhibitions, performances, talks, and workshops. 
At the same time, Desert X AlUla 2026 returns from 16 January to 28 February 2026 with the theme Space Without Measure, presenting new site specific works across AlUla’s valleys and canyons.

Together, these two events form what I would call the world’s most cinematic art tourism loop: you are not just visiting exhibitions, you are moving through a landscape that behaves like a stage set.

Quick facts

AlUla Arts Festival 2026

• Dates: 16 Jan to 14 Feb 2026

• Format: multi week festival with exhibitions, performances, workshops, and talks across AlUla

Desert X AlUla 2026

• Dates: 16 Jan to 28 Feb 2026

• Theme: Space Without Measure

• Scale: 10 new site specific artworks in the landscape

What is the AlUla Arts Festival?

AlUla Arts Festival is AlUla’s annual umbrella season for contemporary culture. The official festival overview describes exhibitions, installations, design showcases, plus dance and music performances, workshops, and talks that connect heritage with contemporary practice.

A key point for your readers: this is not one venue. The festival is designed as a region wide program, with activity across areas such as AlUla Oasis and AlJadidah Arts District, among others.

Desert X AlUla 2026: Space Without Measure

Desert X is the headline outdoor component many visitors travel for. For 2026, Desert X confirms:

• It opens January 16 and runs to February 28, 2026

• The theme is Space Without Measure, with inspiration linked to the poetry of Kahlil Gibran

• The exhibition is curated by Wejdan Reda and Zoé Whitley, under the artistic direction of Neville Wakefield and Raneem Farsi

Desert X also states it will feature 10 new site specific artworks by multigenerational artists, installed directly in AlUla’s landscape.

The TGAF angle: AlUla’s art tourism loop is getting stronger

Here is the story worth reporting beyond dates and announcements.

AlUla is building an art travel experience that works like a loop:

1. arrive for festival programming in the oasis and arts district

2. spend a half day or full day driving the Desert X route

3. extend the trip with heritage sites, landscape viewpoints, and night time programming

This is the same logic that made destinations like Marfa and Naoshima magnetic for cultural travel, but with a uniquely Saudi sense of scale.

Connect the dots: Desert X and Wadi AlFann

Desert X is not just a temporary exhibition. Desert X itself has framed the project as a stepping stone toward Wadi AlFann, a planned open air land art destination in AlUla described as a large scale site for monumental permanent commissions.

That matters because it signals long term cultural infrastructure, not only seasonal events. When audiences see Desert X, they are also seeing a preview of how AlUla wants to position itself globally: as a place where contemporary art is made for the landscape, and where commissions can live for decades.

How to plan your visit in 2026

Pick your dates based on what you want most.

• If your priority is to see the festival plus Desert X in one trip, any window between 16 Jan and 14 Feb is perfect.

• If you want Desert X with fewer festival overlaps, late February still works because Desert X continues until 28 Feb.

Plan at least two days for the art.

• Day one: festival exhibitions and programs in town and district locations.

• Day two: Desert X route, with time buffers for photography, sunset stops, and site specific works.

Expect an outdoor experience.
Desert X is installed in the landscape and described as transforming valleys and canyons with site specific installations.
Comfortable shoes, sun protection, and enough water make a real difference.

Why this matters for artists, galleries, and cultural organizers

• Artists: Desert X is a high visibility model for land based commissions and site responsive production.

• Galleries and advisors: AlUla is a strategic research trip. Even without being a commercial fair, events like these shape attention, networks, and institutional relationships.

• Event organizers: AlUla shows how to blend destination tourism with contemporary commissioning at scale, then build a long term pipeline toward permanent cultural assets like Wadi AlFann.

If you are planning a 2026 Saudi itinerary for your gallery, collectors, or artist roster, I can help you build a practical plan: trip timing, must see programs, outreach targets, and a budget that matches your goals. Reach out via The Art Fair Guy consulting.

Short FAQ

When is AlUla Arts Festival 2026?
It runs from 16 January to 14 February 2026.

When is Desert X AlUla 2026?
It runs from 16 January to 28 February 2026.

What is the theme of Desert X AlUla 2026?
The theme is Space Without Measure, with inspiration linked to the poetry of Kahlil Gibran.

How many artworks will Desert X AlUla 2026 include?
Desert X states it will present 10 new site specific artworks.

What is Wadi AlFann in AlUla?
Wadi AlFann, meaning Valley of the Arts, is a planned open air contemporary art destination in AlUla announced as a long term land art development with monumental permanent commissions.