ArtDayME: The courtyards of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in central Riyadh came alive on Tuesday evening with the launch of the Noor Riyadh Festival, attended by creatives from around the world.

According to Arab News, London-based artist collective United Visual Artists transformed the night sky into a living canvas with a preview of their drone show “Aether.”

Featuring 1,500 drones, the seven-minute performance explored the silent harmony of the stars and planets.

Noor Riyadh Festival, a key initiative of the Riyadh Art, is being held under the theme “Light Years Apart” and will continue until Dec. 14.

This year, the festival will feature artworks by over 60 artists across three hubs: King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Wadi Hanifa, and Jax district.

Architect Khalid Al-Hazani, director of the Riyadh Art Program, said Noor Riyadh is designed to transform the city into an open-air art exhibition.

Festival director Nouf Al-Moneef told Arab News: “What’s great about these three is the connection between art, heritage, culture, nature — and also contemporary creativity in Jax.

“The most important thing in Noor Riyadh is accessibility for people. Noor Riyadh is under the umbrella of Riyadh Art, whose mission is to transform the city into a gallery without walls. Wherever you go and whatever locations or hubs that you go to, you find these spectacular art pieces.”

The festival aims to enhance the quality of life in the Kingdom’s capital and contribute to fostering creativity and presenting art to the community, he added.

It serves as a platform for artistic and cultural exchange in line with Riyadh Art’s objective to nurture local talent and boost the cultural economy of the capital.

In addition to 18 Saudi artists, 43 international artists are representing countries including Australia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Turkiye, the UK, the UAE, and the US.