The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

If you’ve wandered through Downtown Cairo lately and caught glimpses of glowing windows, vivid murals, or sculptures tucked behind heritage façades, you’ve probably crossed paths with the Cairo International Art District (CIAD). Now in its fifth edition, CIAD has once again transformed the heart of the city into a free open-air gallery.

Running from 12 October to 16 November 2025, the exhibition blends art, architecture, and community in a way only Cairo can. And if you haven’t explored it yet, you’re missing one of the city’s most vibrant cultural moments.

Turning Downtown into a Living Gallery

This year’s edition, organised by Art D’Égypte in collaboration with Al Ismaelia, has turned Downtown into a vast, interconnected exhibition. Over 160 artists from Egypt and abroad are showcasing their work across seven curated exhibitions, each one occupying a different heritage building or public passageway.

The result is a month-long adventure that merges Cairo’s nostalgic charm with bold, contemporary expression. Every corner tells a different story, from installations glowing behind century-old windows to digital projections flickering across cinema walls.

Global Connections, Local Spirit

One of the most compelling aspects of CIAD is how it bridges cultures while honouring its setting. This year’s theme includes a special focus on South Korea, marking thirty years of Egyptian–Korean diplomatic ties. Six contemporary Korean artists have joined the line-up, their works mingling effortlessly with Egyptian artists to create a dialogue between two creative worlds.

The exchange feels organic, reflecting how CIAD thrives on contrasts, the old and the new, the local and the global, the intimate and the spectacular.

Highlights You’ve Missed So Far

If you haven’t visited yet, you’ve already missed quite a bit. The Shorbagy Building hosted the mesmerising exhibition Glitched, where digital art collided with themes of identity and distortion. Another show, Is Love a Stigma?, confronted social boundaries through daring visual statements, sparking reflection and conversation among viewers.

Over at the Kodak Passage, walls once weathered by time have been reimagined as portals into memory and transformation. Even the buildings themselves have become part of the experience, their fading façades lending depth and texture to the works within. Every installation feels alive, shaped as much by its surroundings as by the artist who created it.

An Ever-Changing Experience

Yet the beauty of CIAD lies in its ever-changing nature. It isn’t a static exhibition but a living, evolving journey. Each week brings new performances, pop-up pieces, and interactive displays that shift the energy of Downtown Cairo.

And with the festival continuing until 16 November, there’s still time to experience it. You can start your visit at Cinema Radio, then wander through Access Art Space, Kodak Passage, and the Shorbagy Building.

The exhibitions are open daily from around 12 pm to 9 pm, with the evening hours offering an especially cinematic atmosphere as lights bounce off old stone and glass.