RIYADH: The European Music Week in Riyadh is bringing audiences classical, pop, folk and jazz sounds to celebrate the “dynamism and richness of relations” between Saudi Arabia and the EU.
The EU delegation, in partnership with the embassies of EU member states and the Saudi Music Commission, inaugurated the event on Nov. 11.
Running until Nov. 20 at the Saudi Music Hub, the festival is hosting a rich selection of artists from Portugal, Denmark, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Estonia, Greece and the Netherlands.
Christophe Fernand, ambassador of the EU, told Arab News: “Tonight is the launch of the European Music Week. It is a unique occasion; it is an event that did not exist before. This is a very important moment for Saudi Arabia and the EU. It reflects the dynamism and richness of the relations. The economic partnership must be strengthened by a cultural partnership.”
The ambassador added: “We live in a world where trade is increasingly important. It is fundamental that people learn to know each other, to better understand each other and this goes through culture in the general sense of the term. Tonight, it is the turn of music to bring together two cultures as rich and diverse as each other.
“Music today is an opportunity to have a good time together and also to know each other.”
Faisal Al-Gain, director general of the Saudi Music Hub, told Arab News: “This is an important event because our goal is to celebrate culture. It is, therefore, an incredible opportunity that allows us to celebrate musical art, and to promote new co-creation and new content.
“So, we could really embrace this art and look at best practices and how we can work together, whether it’s in the form of performances or from an educational perspective, to see how we can improve the quality of music.”
Since Nov. 11, the Saudi public and music enthusiasts at the festival have explored European music, including contemporary Portuguese sound, courtesy of the group Almanata, a collective made up of Portuguese friends living in Riyadh.
Louise Tuxen, a Danish singer and composer, showed her rich and emotive repertoire at the festival. Whether singing in Danish or English, her melodies explore themes of life, family, friendship, happiness, sadness and death.
Tuxen captivated the audience with her warm voice, offering a delightful musical journey through a small corner of Denmark.
The Arcis Saxophone Quartet brought German sounds to the event through its four talented members: Claus Hierluksch, Ricarda Fuss, Anna-Marie Schafer and Jure Knez.
French-Maltese singer Cynthia Queenton blends charm and talent, and is widely recognized for her vocals through advertising jingles aired on French television.
Queenton blends “swing poppy jazz” with a “French touch.” Raised on the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter and Michel Legrand, she honed her craft at the Academie de musique et de danse Classique de Paris.
Audiences will also have the opportunity to attend concerts featuring artists from Italy, Estonia, Greece and the Netherlands.
From jazz to classical: European Music Week takes center stage in Riyadh
https://arab.news/ckmpn
From jazz to classical: European Music Week takes center stage in Riyadh
- The EU delegation, in partnership with the embassies of EU member states and the Saudi Music Commission, inaugurated the event on Nov. 11
- Envoy says festival is ‘very important moment’ for Saudi Arabia and the EU
Dhahran’s women-led farmers’ market is back
- Juthoor unites local producers, farmers, families under winter sky
DHAHRAN: Juthoor is back, bringing together a mix of local artisans, farmers and food vendors. The outdoor market runs until Jan. 18, giving families ample time to browse, shop and linger.
With cool winter breezes, outdoor seating and live music, the market provides an inviting setting to enjoy the fresh air and locally made goods.
Juthoor was founded by three lifelong friends: Ghsoon Al-Belushi, Noura Al-Dulaijan and Reem Al-Suqair. They set out to recreate the kind of community market they had enjoyed abroad but struggled to find locally.
One of the busiest booths has been Dammam’s Ana Starter Sourdough Factory, where visitors have sampled chocolate sourdough. Founder and CEO Aisha Alomair said Juthoor had played a key role in the brand’s growth.
She told Arab News: “Juthoor is the best market for us. This is our third participation and actually our first year being an official sponsor. With Zadk, the (local) culinary academy, we do a live grilled cheese station. It is soup season — we can’t miss this opportunity!”
Alomair said markets like Juthoor offered a vital entry point for small businesses, and added: “Not everyone has the high capital to start a factory or to start a restaurant or start a cafe. That’s too expensive, right? Especially coming from an average background, you won’t be able to really get those expenses and really start something that big.”
She now sells 13 kinds of sourdough at Juthoor, including a hawawshi loaf made with local dates, which has proved a favorite. What began as a home business has grown into a family effort, with relatives helping to run the stand while others participate in nearby festivals.
Ana Starter Sourdough Factory started via a passion for creating and fermenting the healthiest bread and introducing it to the Saudi market, said Alomair.
She added: “The breads that were available at the supermarkets or at local bakeries had instant yeast that never really took time to ferment and, therefore, when you consume the average bread, you notice some stiffening, you notice indigestion, you notice bloating and heartburn.”
When she became the “bread winner” she brought her whole family in to share the dough. And they are by her side now.
She said: “Right now, we have the Saudi Date Festival in Al-Ahsa — my mom is actually there with my daughter. I (have) got my son here with me in Juthoor.”
The market’s focus on health, community and local talent stands out.
“The weather is fantastic. The place is beautiful. The best thing is, if you notice, all the organizers are women,” she added.
Al-Belushi, one of the co-founders of the event, told Arab News about the commitment to continuing the mission to create the change they wished to see when they started Juthoor in 2019.
They still prioritize finding Saudi vendors who create produce they would want to buy themselves.
She said: “We wanted to focus on quality, not quantity, so that’s why we have a very small number of stalls.”
This year there are 10 in the farmers’ market area; 25 in the local market; eight abaya stalls, and around 10 food vendors, along with live cooking classes.
Al-Belushi said: “It’s always been in this location (Prince Saud bin Naif Park). It’s central to everything. I think the beauty of Juthoor is that everyone can have a good time.
“They are all vendors that we would shop from. They’re all local; they’re all great quality. We’re very selective.
“It has to be local — we don’t accept vendors who import products and sell them.”
Most of the farmers come from neighboring places within the Eastern Province.
One such example is farmer Emad Ali Alshawaf who traveled to Juthoor from nearby Jubail to offer his goods, including cucumbers and fresh mint.
Alshawaf told Arab News that he found out about Juthoor from another vendor and decided to give it a chance.
He said: “Last year we decided to participate at our very first farmers’ market and we chose Juthoor. We were very successful and we hope to be this year too.”
He has one small criticism, however, and added: “The price of the booth is quite high for us. These are organic produce items with no preservatives, so they have a two-day limit. If I don’t sell the tomatoes within that timeframe, for example, we are forced to throw them away.”
Back in Jubail, where his farm is about an hour’s drive away, he can guarantee sale of the goods as he is more familiar with the community and knows how to navigate it. But since these fresh vegetables and other goods are reserved for the booth at Juthoor, he just hopes people will buy them before they spoil.
Among the returning vendors is Shikhah Albuainain, of Crafting, Gifts & Other Stories. She told Arab News: “My first participation ever in any event was at Juthoor in 2019. It was our first time, so it was special — we all learned together.”
Initially a crocheter, she returned to Juthoor in 2020 and added to her products. She now sells iPad bags, scrunchies and toiletry bags, all sewn by hand at her workshop in the Eastern Province.
Albuainain said: “Juthoor really helped me pivot toward items that people can use and buy in person, not just from my online store.”
Al-Dulaijan, one of the co-founders of Juthoor, told Arab News that the Juthoor family was there to help support each other.
She said: “The (participating vendors) all exist with or without us; they exist the entire year without Juthoor. Juthoor is just here as a platform for them to meet people, to get them to try their things, and see it in real life.”
The next step? Growing roots, and blossoming, in Riyadh.
Al-Suqair, its third co-founder, moved to Riyadh at the beginning of 2025 and is setting up roots there.
Al-Dulaijan said: “What happened with our partner (Al-Suqair) moving to Riyadh, it kind of gave us a push, because now we have someone centered there.
“No one knows us there. The difference between here (Dhahran) and there (Riyadh), is the market is saturated with events. We’re not the type of event that happens in Riyadh. We are like earthy, maybe, cozy and simple. And Riyadh? They’re used to humongous events, big budgets, big everything.”
The co-founders are excited about the new challenge and the new rewards — and bringing a taste of Eastern Province to the capital.
You can catch them between Feb. 5-14, conveniently timed for a week before Ramadan.
Al-Dulaijan said: “We’re happy that the location is … The Cultural House (in Riyadh). Their identity is similar to ours.”
Tickets for the Dhahran event can be purchased online or at the door and cost SR30 ($8) for adults and SR20 (aged 7-13). Children under 6 are admitted free.
Doors are open until 11 p.m., with a 4 p.m. start on Sunday to Thursday or 2 p.m. (Friday and Saturday).
