Dhahran — BETH Media
17 November 2025

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) — an Aramco initiative — launched today the eighth edition of Tanween, running from 17 to 22 November 2025, under the theme: “Design the Unseen.”
This year’s edition brings together leading designers, creative professionals, and global partners for six days filled with immersive experiences, expert-led discussions, and a rich program of exhibitions reshaping the design landscape in Saudi Arabia and the region.

A Vision That Reveals “What Lies Beneath” Design

The opening ceremony featured a keynote speech by Sultan Al-Badran, Head of Creativity and Innovation at Ithra, who highlighted that this year’s edition is dedicated to uncovering the hidden layers of design practice — the ideas, methodologies, and cultural extensions that shape creative work.

Al-Badran noted that Tanween 2025 marks a significant expansion in partnerships and content, reinforcing its status as one of the region’s leading design platforms.

Workshops, Tours, Expert Sessions… and a Design-Focused Marketplace

Tanween 2025 features:

Specialized workshops led by international experts

In-depth experiences through the “In the Company of an Expert” program

Engaging discussions under the “Tanween Majlis”

Daily Tanween Tours, offering visitors unique insights into design professions

A curated collection of local and global creative works in the Design Market

These activities create a dynamic, interactive environment that connects designers with industry leaders and expands creative thinking.

Eight Exhibitions Redefining the Design Experience

This year’s edition includes a diverse range of indoor and hosted exhibitions, such as:

Mujassam Watan

Designed in Saudi, presented by the Architecture and Design Commission

Terminal J: Woven Stories from the Gulf

Exo-Cortex Immersion

Rezo Masr

Graduate Showcase

Shared Oasis: Where Design Listens

Al-Basqat

In addition to innovative shows from the “From the Lab” program and exhibitions hosted by the Ithra Museum.

This variety reflects the growing ambition of Tanween to embrace contemporary design trends and provide new perspectives that challenge traditional approaches.

Global and Local Partnerships Strengthen Tanween’s Presence

Tanween 2025 features an expanded network of partners, including:

Gulf International Bank (GIB) — Strategic Partner

Architecture and Design Commission

Retal

Designboom — Media Partner

Al-Majdouie — Logistics Partner

Creative collaborations also include:

Dubai Design Week

Isola Design Platform

Additional program and exhibition partners from Saudi Arabia and around the world.

Closing Ceremony: “The Big Moment”

The program concludes on 22 November 2025 with a ceremony celebrating partners and creators, showcasing key outputs of Tanween’s exhibitions, and announcing the winners of the Tanween Challenges, along with a brief preview of next year’s edition.

About Ithra

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an Aramco initiative, is a leading cultural and creative destination in Saudi Arabia.
Since its opening in 2018, Ithra has served as a global cultural beacon promoting sustainability, creativity, and knowledge exchange.

Its facilities include:

Idea Lab — Library — Theater — Museum — Cinema — Great Hall — Energy Exhibit — Children’s Museum — Ithra Tower.

Ithra delivers programs designed to enrich communities and inspire creativity across all age groups.

More information:
www.Ithra.com

BETH Commentary — Reading Beyond the Announcement

Tanween 2025 is more than a design festival.
It signals a cultural shift toward a creative economy, where design, innovation, and human-centered thinking form core drivers of future industries, cities, and communities.

Ithra — through Tanween — is not simply hosting an exhibition…
It is shaping a new design compass for Saudi creativity.