The latest

Lift has fully opened its new 6,500 sq ft home in the pedestrianised JAX cultural district on the outskirts of Riyadh, combining exhibition areas with co-working facilities, studios, workshops, a concept shop and a daily cafe. Founded by Princess Nouf bint Abdulaziz Al Saud, the project is designed as an alternative to a traditional commercial gallery, allowing visitors and artists to meet, create and exchange ideas alongside a rotating programme spanning visual art, design, film, photography and fashion.

Details

• Flexible design: Saudi architecture firm Quartz designed the space around a varied programme, using movable walls and multipurpose areas that can be reconfigured for exhibitions, workshops, studios and other events. Shahad Alsudais, architect and founder of Quartz, led the architectural concept for the new venue. The design allows the hub to shift between public displays, creative production and collaborative activities as its schedule changes.
• Operating model: Lift sells artworks but does not maintain a stable roster of represented artists. Instead, its hybrid format supports changing exhibitions, pop-up shops, workshops and collaborations across creative disciplines. Fashion is among its areas of focus and is also the professional background of founder Princess Nouf.
• Move to JAX: The project was established in 2020 at a location in central Riyadh and began relocating to JAX in late 2024. Princess Nouf said the aim was to build more than a conventional gallery within an existing creative community, creating space for viewing art, producing work and exchanging ideas.
• Artist collaborations: Lift has worked with Saudi and international artists, including French-Tunisian artist eL Seed, Turks and Caicos artist Bradley Theodore and Dutch-Chinese artist Zhuang Hong Yi. Its programme places emerging Saudi and regional talent alongside established creatives, with introducing new artists to the local scene a central priority.
• District network: JAX covers approximately 120,000 sq metres and has continued growing since its official opening in 2021. The district now houses the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and the Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art, known as SAMoCA, alongside artists’ and designers’ studios, cafes and galleries. This mix places Lift within a wider concentration of institutional and independent cultural activity.

Background

JAX occupies a former industrial area being redeveloped as part of the wider Diriyah project. The state-backed development is transforming the historically significant area into a major cultural and tourism destination, while the pedestrianised district brings institutions, independent galleries, studios and hospitality venues into one creative cluster.

What’s next

The next indicator of Lift’s development will be its rotating calendar of exhibitions, pop-up shops and workshops at the JAX venue. The flexible galleries and multipurpose areas will be rearranged for each activity, while the cafe will continue receiving visitors daily.