London 2012 Cultural Olympiad - Showtime
In 2012 I served as Executive Producer of Showtime, the largest free outdoor arts festival ever staged in London and a core component of the Mayor of London Presents programme within the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad to create a summer like no other on behalf of the Greater London Authority.
Working with producers: Bridey Watson, David Belshaw, Mel Wilds, Vashti Waite and Dave Reeves, Showtime extended the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games beyond ticketed venues, delivering free, high-energy performances directly into high streets, parks and town centres across all 33 London boroughs.
Over the course of the Games period, the programme comprised approximately 5,000 performances by hundreds of artists, reaching live audiences in excess of half a million Londoners.
The festival operated as a distributed city-wide production model – simultaneously active across multiple boroughs – requiring coordination across local authorities, cultural partners and community stakeholders during one of the most high-profile periods in the capital’s history.
Showtime formed part of a mulitmillion pound cultural investment surrounding London 2012 and played a central role in ensuring the Games were experienced not only inside venues, but across the fabric of the city itself.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Photo courtesy of the Greater London Authority.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale
As senior advisor and the executive producer, and part of the original senior management team at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in Saudi Arabia, we developed, designed and delivered the country’s first ever contemporary art biennale.
The Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Diriyah, Riyadh, hosted in the JAX District, is an international showcase and celebration of contemporary art, featuring artists from around the world.
Spanning approximately 20,000 square meters, the Biennale assumes a critical role in nurturing creative expression and instilling an appreciation for culture and the arts and their transformative potential.
These Biennales showcase some of the world’s leading artists and drive cultural exchange between the Kingdom and international communities.
Find out more about the at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s website.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026, 'In Interludes and Transitions'
drawing from a colloquial phrase invoking the cycles of encampments and journeys in nomadic communities in the Arabian Peninsula, taking as a point of departure the movements, migrations, and transformations that continue to connect the Gulf region with the world.
This Biennale produced by Diriyah Biennale Foundation with its curation led by co-artistic directors Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed is conceived as a choreography in which histories, ancestors, dreams, and premonitions move together through song, stories, dance, and whirlwinds.
Find out more at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation website.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 - In Interludes and Transitions. Petrit Halilaj, ‘Very volcanic over this green feather’ (2021). Photo by Alessandro Brasile, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 - In Interludes and Transitions. Pio Abad, ‘Vanwa’ (2023/2026). Courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 - In Interludes and Transitions. Nour Mobarak, ‘Dafne Phono’ (2024). Courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 - In Interludes and Transitions. Shadia Alem, ‘Transformation – Jinniyat Lar’ (1996/2026). Photo by Alessandro Brasile, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 - In Interludes and Transitions. Faisal Samra ‘Immortal Moment III (Post Shock Creatures 02)’ (2026). Nolan Oswald Dennis ‘Black Liberation Zodiac (whale mouth solidarities)’ 2025. Photo by Alessandro Brasile, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 - In Interludes and Transitions. Théo Mercier, ‘House of Eternity’ (2026). Photo by Alessandro Brasile, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024, 'After Rain'
Titled ‘After Rain’ the second edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale opened up a moment of revitalisation and renewal, presenting a Biennale as a nurturing entity, filled with life, while acknowledging the necessity of water for all forms of life that dwell and seek shelter on our planet.
Produced by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation with its curation led by Artistic Director Ute Meta Bauer, this Biennale presented works that engaged with the human-nature continuum, examined the built environment, observed the state of our surrounding landscapes, recounted histories, and encouragedus to listen more closely.
Find out more at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s website.
Marjetica Potrč, Acre Palafita with Infrastructure (2024). Exhibition view: Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024: After Rain (20 February–24 May 2024). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
After Rain, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024, Martha Atienza, Equation of State (2019/2024). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
After Rain, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024, El Anatsui, Logoligi Logarithm (2019). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
After Rain, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024, Sopheap Pich, Rang Phnom Flower (2015). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
After Rain, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024, Alia Farid, In Lieu of What Was (2019). Chibayish (2022). Chibayish (2023). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2021/2, 'Feeling the Stones'
‘Feeling the Stones’ was the title of the inaugural Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale.
It’s title drawn from a saying that emerged during the 1980s as a metaphor for action at a time of social and economic transformation, ‘crossing the river by feeling the stones’, which encapsulates considered progress – transformation through intelligent actions, echoing the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s core mission of empowering artistic spirit as a force for meaningful change.
Produced by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation with its curation led by Artistic Director Philip Tinari, this Biennale’s theme was a metaphorical journey through the nuances of artistic production and ideas that, just like social reform, saw art as a process – incremental, tentative, and, ultimately, directed improvisation.
Find out more at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s website.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2021/2 - 'Feeling the Stones'. Will Glendinning at the Opening Ceremony in front of Richard Long's 'Red Earth Circle' (1989/2021).
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2021/2 - 'Feeling the Stones'. Photo courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2021/2 - 'Feeling the Stones'. Photo courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2021/2 - 'Feeling the Stones'. Photo courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Islamic Arts Biennale
As senior advisor and the executive producer, and part of the original senior management team at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in Saudi Arabia, we developed, designed and delivered the first ever Islamic Arts Biennale.
The Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah is the world’s first biennale dedicated to Islamic arts and culture. At over 60,000 square meters – it is also one of the largest Biennales too.
Juxtaposing contemporary art with historical objects, the Biennale has quickly become – in just two editions, in 2023 and 2025 – one of the most critically acclaimed and visited Biennales in the world.
Find out more about the at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s website.
Islamic Arts Biennale 2025, 'And All That Is In Between'
The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale was titled ‘And All That is In Between’ – from the phrase “And God created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in between.”
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale drew inspiration from that verse, exploring how faith is lived, expressed and celebrated. It spanned five exhibition halls and the vast outdoor spaces – presenting over 600 historical object and contemporary artworks.
The Biennale has become a global hub for Islamic arts and culture, showcasing treasures from prestigious worldwide institutions.
Find out more at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation website.
The Kiswa on display at the Islamic Arts Biennale. Part of the AlBidayah component of the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale. Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Installation view of the AlMadar component of the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale. Top: Timo Nasseri, Echoes of the Skies (2025). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
View of the AlMidhallah exhibition component, the outdoor exhibition spaces, at the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025. Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Installation view of the AlBidayah component of the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale. Arcangelo Sassolino, Memory of Becoming (2024). Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Islamic Arts Biennale 2023, 'Awwal Bait'
The inaugural edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023 was titled ‘Awwal Bait’ (‘First House’) and explored the timeless rituals that define Islam. Rituals about movement, sound, and invisible lines of direction.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, custodian of the two holy mosques is the spiritual focus for Muslims across the world.
This Islamic Arts Biennale is situated at the gateway to Makkah, in the historic Hajj Terminal in Jeddah. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1981 and recipient of the 1983 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, each year this prestigious building welcomes millions of pilgrims making their way to the Ka’bah.
The Biennale brought historical works into dialogue with contemporary artworks by both Muslim artists and others whose work resonated with or echoed Islamic ritual and tradition.
Find out more at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s website.
The Kaaba door - the door to Awwal Bait at the 2023 Islamic Arts Biennale. Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Haroon Gunn-Salie's installation 'Amongst Men' at the 2023 Islamic Arts Biennale. Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
Basmah Felemban 'Wave Catcher' at the 2023 Islamic Arts Biennale. Photo courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
