ArtDayME: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) has revealed the shortlist for the seventh edition of the Ithra Art Prize, selecting five contemporary artists from across the Arab world. The finalists — Bady Dalloul (Syria), Aseel AlYaqoub (Kuwait), Heba Y. Amin (Egypt), Ala Younis (Jordan) and Jawad Al Malhi (Palestine) — were chosen from more than 500 submissions, reflecting the broad engagement the Prize continues to generate across the region.

Founded in 2017, the Ithra Art Prize has become one of the most significant awards dedicated to artists from or based in the 22 Arab countries. Initially centered on Saudi practitioners, it has expanded its scope to support a wider regional community, aligning with Ithra’s mission to spark cultural curiosity and champion original, critically engaged artistic thought.

The Prize is awarded biennially and grants USD 100,000 to a single winner whose commissioned artwork becomes part of the Ithra collection. In a major shift for this edition, all shortlisted artists will receive production grants to create new works that will be exhibited at Ithra in Dhahran in the spring of 2026. The final winner will be selected during the run of the exhibition.

Selection was conducted by an international jury including Farah Abushullaih, Head of the Ithra Museum; art historian Dr. Nada Shabout; curators Tarek Abou El Fetouh and Jérôme Sans; and artist Nadia Kaabi-Linke, winner of the Prize’s fourth edition. Sara Al Omran served as advisor to the Prize.

Abushullaih noted that the expansion of the shortlist underscores Ithra’s commitment to supporting diverse artistic voices. She emphasized that this year’s group reflects the creativity and critical perspectives shaping contemporary art in the Arab world, particularly through themes of memory, displacement and colonial legacy.