https://campaignme.com/ 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 is intended to 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 evolving our global model to make more of what LIONS knows is useful closer to where people work, while keeping Cannes Lions as the place where the world comes together.”

He added, “These platforms will be built with local communities, not simply for them. The exchange works both ways: global expertise becomes more relevant locally, while regional talent, work, and perspectives help shape what the industry encounters at Cannes Lions.”

The strategic alliance with Athar Festival aims to ensure a cohesive approach to serving the entire regional creative marketing economy.

Philip Thomas, Chair, LIONS, said, “The Middle East’s creative evolution continues to accelerate. Creative sectors, from film and fashion to gaming and entertainment, are expanding rapidly, with new platforms, talent and businesses emerging at pace. Creativity and marketing are playing an increasingly important role in how countries, brands and communities express themselves on the global stage.”

Thomas added, “LIONS has always been a global platform for the world’s best creative thinking and marketing effectiveness. Bringing that platform to Riyadh is about making those global standards, insights and networks more accessible to the region’s creative community, ensuring Arab creative professionals have direct access to the benchmarks, learning and connections that can accelerate their impact and elevate their work on the global stage.”

Sophie Bailey, VP MENA, LIONS, said, “The Middle East has always been home to exceptional creative talent, and we’re seeing increasing demand for platforms that can help that talent connect with global networks and industry standards. LIONS Riyadh addresses that need by bringing our benchmarks, evidence and learning closer to the region. It’s about creating a space where local creativity is celebrated, regional challenges are addressed, and the community can connect with the insights and networks that matter most.”