(Johnessco Rodriguez, Entrepreneur & Fair Director of ARQA ART FAIR)
*The Special Edition of ARQA ART FAIR | Riyadh – brings together invited international galleries & collectors for exhibition, acquisition, and cultural exchange.
*Our focus is quality over scale, creating an art fair where galleries and collectors meet within a carefully curated environment shaped by experience to build long last business relationships.”
— Johnessco Rodriguez, Fair Director
TTT NEWS NETWORK
MUMBAI | 31 DECEMBER 2025
Riyadh, at a moment of significant cultural momentum, has been selected to welcome the Special Edition of ARQA ART FAIR in 2026, bringing together a curated circle of invited galleries and collectors. An international art fair conceived for this turning point. The fair brings together elite art collectors from the Middle East and beyond to discover a curated presentation of international artworks within a refined cultural setting. ARQA ART FAIR will take place from October 29 to November 1, 2026, establishing a platform for exhibition, acquisition, and high-level cultural exchange in Saudi Arabia.
(ARQA ART FAIR announces the dates for its 2026 Special Edition in Riyadh, taking place from October 29 to November 1.)
Created as a brand designed to facilitate an important international trade floor for art sales in the Middle East and Asia, ARQA ART FAIR is produced by Impetus Corp, a Canadian company supported by a team with more than 20 years of experience organizing exclusive art fairs and cultural events across Europe and North America. The Riyadh edition will bring together up to 120 international galleries, presenting approximately 2,000 works spanning Fine Art, Contemporary and Modern Art, Digital Art, and selected Antiques and objects.
(Riyadh’s evolving skyline reflects the city’s growing momentum as a global destination for culture, creativity, and international art exchange ahead of ARQA ART FAIR 2026.)
The fair is directed by international event producer and art collector and advisor Johnessco Rodriguez, whose previous projects have been noted in the international press for the caliber of their collector attendance. Reflecting on one such event in Monte Carlo, Fine Art Magazine wrote that “had it been held in a different era, Johnessco Rodriguez’s guest list would most certainly have included Brigitte Bardot, Princess Grace, Sean Connery… and Picasso himself.” That observation captured the rare convergence of collectors, royal families, patrons, and cultural figures present at events under his invitation — a profile ARQA ART FAIR | Riyadh 2026 is not expected to diverge from.
ARQA ART FAIR is structured around four curatorial sections:
NĀR (fire), a crown collection is the section dedicated to museum quality artworks.
MA’A The Sapphire Room (water), the domain for stablished contemporary and modern art galleries
RĪH (air) The Mirage Room, dedicated for young galleries and innovation programs
ARD The Royal Heritage (earth), the section for cultural legacy, Old masters, historical works and objects.
Together, these sections form a coherent yet expansive curatorial narrative of art, the reflection of human heritage, showcasing a curated balance between established galleries with 20, 30, and 40 years of operation and the emerging contemporary voices with seven years or less of activity. This framework offers collectors a focused yet diverse landscape and acquisition options.
Galleries from Monaco, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, Korea, Japan, Turkey, and Portugal are among the countries expected to be represented, underscoring the fair’s international scope. Participation is curated, with invitations extended following a selection process aligned with the fair’s emphasis on quality, value, and long-term collector engagement.
Taking place in alignment with the cultural ambitions shaping Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, ARQA ART FAIR positions Riyadh as an increasingly significant international meeting point for art acquisitions.
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