The Tanween Design Festival is on in Khobar right now
The festival is taking over Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture
It’s clear from the moment you enter Khobar that the city puts arts, culture, and design at the forefront, and it’s all thanks to the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture. This month, the centre is hosting the eighth edition of Tanween, its flagship design event. The Tanween Design Festival 2025 is still happening right now, and this is everything you can explore.
Happening until Saturday November 22, the Tanween Design Festival 2025 is offering a variety of things to do, including a program of workshops, panel discussions, exhibitions, the Tanween Majlis, the Design Market, and the Tanween Challenges.
View this post on Instagram
The theme for the festival this year is “Design the Unspoken,” and it invites designers, artists, and visitors alike to be inspired by hidden parts of history and culture.
Must-see exhibitions
The exhibition lineup includes
- The Exo-Cortex, an immersive experience by French artist Jérémy Oury that uses light, sound, and space to create a dreamlike, hypnotic journey
- Shared Oasis: Design That Listens. The exhibition brings together works that respond to our unvoiced needs that evolve: the comforts we crave, the connections we seek, and the small rituals that shape our lives.
- Terminal G, presented in collaboration with carpet specialists Iwan Maktabi and designed by BrickLab. The exhibition invites everyone to embark on a journey where stories are translated into the timeless craft of weaving.
- Mujassam Watan, hosted by the Alfozan Social Foundation. An exhibition that showcases how creative sculptures that reflect Saudi culture and national heritage can enrich the cultural landscape.
- Habitat Unspoken by Rizo Masr, a risograph printing and zine-making exhibition
- Designed in Saudi, presented by the Architecture and Design Commission at the Ministry of Culture.
- From the Lab, a materials-focused showcase highlighting experimental design research
- Baseqat: The Palm Tree Exhibition, celebrating Saudi palm weaving traditions and contemporary interpretations of Khoos craftsmanship. Ithra Museum’s ongoing exhibitions also form part of the wider design experience.
GradShow
To empower students from all over the world, the centre will also be welcoming the GradShow, which will present 54 projects from 26 universities across 14 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the GCC, the wider MENA region, the United States, and South Korea, highlighting outstanding achievements in architecture, product design, interior design, visual communication, and fashion design.
Ithra Design Market
Discover the Design Market during Tanween, a curated space celebrating the power of design in all its forms. From 3D-printed objects and contemporary jewellery to fashion pieces, graphic design prints, and one-of-a-kind decor, this market showcases bold ideas and creative craftsmanship from local and regional designers.
The festival and its exhibitions are completely free to enter; for the workshops, on the other hand, you may need to preregister and pay.
Location: Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture
Dates: Until Saturday November 22
Images: Provided
