LIONS , the organiser of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity , has announced the launch of LIONS Riyadh , a new regional event that will be delivered in Saudi Arabia by Tahaluf, organiser of LEAP and Cityscape Global, in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media .
LIONS Riyadh will also include a strategic alliance with Athar Festival , the Kingdom’s largest gathering of the creative marketing industry, which is run by LIONS ’ partner Motivate Media Group , complementing the established Dubai Lynx partnership across the region.
Taking place from 6 to 8 December 2027 at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), LIONS Riyadh will serve the local creative and marketing community by providing access to global benchmarks , intelligence , tools , learning and networks needed to drive growth . It will also create opportunities for local talent and work to be highlighted and shared with the wider international industry.
The festival will bring together the expertise of LIONS , along with the region’s most innovative minds in marketing, advertising, media and creative communications.
While announcing the regional festival in Riyadh, Salman Al-Dossary , Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Media , said, “Creativity and storytelling have deep roots in Saudi Arabia and in Middle Eastern culture, and today a new generation is building on that legacy with confidence, capability and the ambition to shape the future of this story.”
Al-Dossary added, “LIONS Riyadh embodies the progress in our creative industries and Saudi Arabia’s commitment to nurturing the talent and the ideas behind them. This is an opportunity to celebrate what distinguishes our region’s creativity, strengthen its contribution to our economy and our culture, and enable our creative voices to play a greater role in the future.”
The LIONS Riyadh festival will also supporting the localisation of creative industries, the growth of local enterprises, and the sector’s contribution to diversifying the Kingdom’s economy. It will also support the creation of Saudi content capable of competing globally, further reinforcing Riyadh’s position as a creative capital and a global destination for decision-making and opportunities.
Faisal bin Saud Al-Khamisi , Co-Chairman of the Board of Tahaluf, said, “The decision by the LIONS network to launch LIONS Riyadh is another important milestone on that path. It reflects the Kingdom’s growing international standing and the exceptional creative potential of the Arab world, and we at Tahaluf are proud to contribute to bringing this global brand to Riyadh.”
Alongside keynotes, learning programmes and networking opportunities, LIONS will bring a series of established initiatives tailored specifically for Riyadh, reflecting the Kingdom’s investment in creative infrastructure and talent development.
This is part of the evolving LIONS global model to make its platform for creative marketing effectiveness more accessible to communities worldwide.
Simon Cook , CEO, LIONS , said, “For more than 70 years, Cannes Lions has set the global benchmark for creative excellence, bringing together the world’s creative marketing community in an unparalleled concentration of people, disciplines, cultures, and ideas. We know, however, that access to evidence, skills and networks that help businesses produce effective, creatively excellent work remains uneven. We’re evolvin…