RIYADH: Exhibitions are not the only focus at Diriyah Art Futures — it is also about building a pipeline.
As Saudi Arabia accelerates investment in its creative economy, the center’s latest round of workshops and masterclasses signals a shift from cultural programming to talent development.
The April lineup looks less like a traditional events calendar and more like an entry point into the fast-evolving world of new media arts. Designed for children, youths and professionals, the sessions combine hands-on learning with exposure to global practices, reflecting a broader ambition to professionalize the sector.
Diriyah Art Futures is helping to shape new creative pathways for talent in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
That aim lies within a larger national strategy. Cultural institutions are increasingly positioned as economic drivers, tasked with nurturing skills, creating jobs and supporting new industries.
“We are investing in emerging talent by giving artists access to mentorship, world-class facilities, and the time and space to develop their practice at a professional level,” Saudi Museums Commission CEO Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Hammad told Arab News.
“For established artists and scholars, our Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency offers a platform for research, experimentation, and production that can lead to significant new work and broader professional recognition.
We are investing in emerging talent by giving artists access to mentorship, world-class facilities, and the time and space to develop their practice at a professional level.
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Al-Hammad CEO, Saudi Museums Commission
“As the first center dedicated to new media arts in the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] region, Diriyah Art Futures is helping to shape new creative pathways for talent in Saudi Arabia. Our role is both support artistic practice, while helping to build the foundations of a sustainable creative economy.”
As Saudi Arabia accelerates investment in its creative economy, the April lineup looks less like a traditional events calendar and more like an entry point into the fast-evolving world of new media arts. (Diriyah Arts Futures)
The approach reflects a clear “follow the talent” strategy. Rather than focusing solely on output such as exhibitions, institutions like Diriyah Art Futures are investing in skills, networks and experimentation. The expectation is that long-term returns will come through a more mature creative workforce that contributes to sectors ranging from entertainment and gaming to design and digital production.
Running alongside the programming is the center’s fourth major exhibition, “Of the Earth: Earthly Technologies to Computational Biologies,” curated by Irini Papadimitriou. It explores how digital technologies are reshaping humanity’s relationship with nature, addressing themes such as environmental impact and the hidden material costs of digital systems.
This direction feeds directly into the workshops. Sessions throughout April move between artificial intelligence, natural materials and storytelling traditions, highlighting how contemporary practice often sits at the intersection of technology and heritage.
Diriyah Art Futures is helping to shape new creative pathways for talent in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
The program begins with youth-focused workshops exploring sound, nature and technology, before expanding into more advanced topics such as AI in mixed media and printmaking using organic materials.
A standout is “Between Land and Stars,” which reconnects participants with historical Arab knowledge systems, examining how communities once used astronomy to navigate and understand their environment.
At the higher end of the skills spectrum, a two-day masterclass on the date palm reframes a familiar cultural symbol as a complex material system, spanning food, craft and architecture. Another session on 3D printing and ceramic mold-making points to the growing convergence between digital fabrication and traditional craftsmanship.
Diriyah Art Futures is helping to shape new creative pathways for talent in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
Together, these offerings illustrate how the sector is evolving. Creative work is no longer confined to studios or galleries — it is increasingly interdisciplinary, blending coding, biology, design and heritage into new forms of production.
Partnerships are playing a critical role. Collaborations with institutions such as Le Fresnoy — Studio National des Arts Contemporains bring international expertise into the local ecosystem, while also positioning Saudi talent within global conversations around digital and media art.
This hybrid model, combining public investment with international collaboration, is becoming a defining feature of the Kingdom’s cultural strategy. Government entities provide scale and continuity, while partners contribute specialization and reach.
For Diriyah Art Futures, the goal is long term. By creating an environment where artists can develop skills, build networks, and experiment with new tools, the center is helping to lay the foundations of a sustainable creative economy.
In that sense, the April program is more than a series of workshops. It is part of a broader effort to transform creativity into an industry, one that not only reflects Saudi Arabia’s cultural identity but also contributes to its economic diversification.
