Saudi Arabia's creative industry set to step into the global spotlight as Athar Festival returns for its third edition
Exciting new features adding to the festival experience include new industry streams, all-new talent hub, and a dedicated startup exhibition space
Riyadh – Saudi Arabia: The third edition of Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity, the largest gathering of the creative marketing industry in Saudi Arabia, is set to take place from 21-22 October 2025 at JAX District – Diriyah Biennale Foundation in Riyadh. With an expanded format and an even greater focus on international industry collaboration, this year's edition spotlights Saudi Arabia's emergence as a global creative hub, positioning the Kingdom as a leading force in creative marketing, brand storytelling, and innovation.
As Saudi Arabia's creative landscape continues its rapid transformation, Athar Festival 2025 presented by Motivate Media Group and TRACCS, will enable brands, agencies, and creative professionals to connect, exchange ideas, and unlock new business opportunities. This year's expanded programme introduces three content stages, an all-new talent hub, and bespoke networking activations, ensuring that attendees gain unparalleled access to industry insights, skill-building opportunities, and global connections.
Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group, said: 'As Saudi Arabia continues to push the boundaries of creative excellence in alignment with Vision 2030, Athar Festival remains a vital force in shaping the industry's future. This year, we are expanding our global reach with international trade delegations, and industry leaders. By connecting Saudi Arabia's creative industry with more markets, the festival will not only showcase the Kingdom as a talent hub but also create new pathways for collaboration and investment in the region's growing creative economy.'
Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS, added: 'Saudi Arabia is rapidly emerging as the region's leader in creative communications – essential for any future-ready nation. Athar Festival plays a pivotal role in shaping the industry by driving innovation, talent development, and strategic collaborations. The 2025 edition, featuring new initiatives like the Talent Hub and a dedicated startup exhibition space, offers an unparalleled platform to challenge creative boundaries, celebrate creative excellence, and catalyse the Kingdom's creative economy.'
Building on the success of its second edition in 2024, which attracted over 1,700 attendees and featured leading voices in creative marketing, Athar Festival 2025 will be even more ambitious. The festival targets to draw 4,000+ brands, agencies, creative marketing experts and professionals, young talent, as well as students to its new high-capacity venue, featuring 150+ world-class speakers, and over 80 brand activations, reflecting its commitment to advancing the Kingdom's creative economy.
Additionally, the festival will introduce new industry streams across content, activations, and the exhibition space for agencies and brands participating in this year's edition. The first of these is the Creative Impact stream, which will focus on brand storytelling, advertising and marketing. The Future Forward stream will explore AI, machine learning, and data-driven marketing among other innovations in the industry. The Screen & Influence stream would cover film production and content creation from an advertising perspective alongside influencer marketing, as well as media distribution. The final stream, centred on Luxury & Lifestyle, will target the world of marketing in the realms of fashion, travel, hospitality, and premium experiences.
The festival's main content agenda will run from 21-22 October, featuring thought-provoking discussions, immersive activations, and hands-on workshops across three content stages. The highly anticipated Athar Awards has also expanded to include the four new streams and will be held over the course of a two-day celebration. Recognising outstanding creative excellence, the first day will award top Saudi talent under the individual and team categories, while the second day will honour the most creative campaigns in the Kingdom.
Athar Festival 2025 will also see the participation of international trade delegations, bridging the Saudi creative marketing industry with its global counterparts. Furthermore, the festival will feature a dedicated startup exhibition space, offering new ventures in advertising, media, and technology an exclusive opportunity to present their cutting-edge solutions to investors and industry leaders. With extended festival hours from 10 AM to 10 PM each day, attendees will have more time to engage with activations, exhibitions, and networking spaces.
As Saudi Arabia continues to push the boundaries of creative excellence in alignment with Vision 2030, Athar Festival remains a vital force in shaping the industry's future. Evolving to provide a global stage for ideas, talent, and innovation, the festival is set to reinforce Saudi Arabia's reputation as a thriving hub for creativity and marketing.
For more information on Athar Festival 2025, visit www.atharfestival.com.
-Ends-
About Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity
Athar - Saudi Festival of Creativity, presented by Motivate Media Group and TRACCS, is Saudi Arabia's foremost creative marketing event. Aligning with Saudi Vision 2030, Athar sets the stage for leaders, decision-makers, and emerging talent to connect, share insights, and drive creative endeavours across the Kingdom's burgeoning sectors.
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