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Saudi Culture Ministry, King Saud University Launch Kingdom’s First College of Arts

The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo
The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo
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Saudi Culture Ministry, King Saud University Launch Kingdom’s First College of Arts

The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo
The Saudi Ministry of Culture logo

The Ministry of Culture, in a strategic partnership with King Saud University in Riyadh, inaugurated the College of Arts at the university, marking the first specialized Saudi college dedicated to arts education in the Kingdom.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Sunday at the university theater in the presence of Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez and President of King Saud University Dr. Badran bin Abdulrahman Al-Omar, along with culture and arts enthusiasts across the Kingdom.
In his speech during the ceremony, Fayez affirmed that the new College of Arts reflects the importance attached by Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan to education and its role in cultural growth.

He emphasized the role of education in the development and advancement of the cultural sector under Saudi Vision 2030.
Fayez further noted that the establishment of the college is a significant milestone in the development of higher cultural education in the Kingdom, with a substantial impact on national cultural development. He highlighted that this step will lay the foundation for an academic path required for nurturing creative talents and fostering cultural advancement.
Fayez said the establishment of the college is part of the strategic partnership between the Culture Ministry and King Saud University, representing one of the first tangible outcomes of the collaborative efforts made with local universities. These efforts aim to achieve the objectives of the National Strategy for Culture and the strategy for the development of cultural capacities derived from it. The goal is to meet the demands of the job market and provide highly competent cultural professionals who will lead the sector towards achieving ambitious national goals.
Fayez stated that the college is launching with three departments dedicated to the specialties of design, performing arts, and visual arts. He emphasized that this is “[just] the beginning of a continuous scientific and cultural cooperation with King Saud University and our other prestigious national universities.”
After the ceremony, the attendees visited the accompanying exhibition of the newly launched college, where they learned about the Saudi cultural sector and the available opportunities for students to develop their capabilities and pursue careers in cultural professions.

They also learned about the objectives of launching the first college of arts in the Kingdom, which include offering high-quality specialized academic programs adhering to national and international standards. Additionally, the college aims to establish a supportive educational and artistic environment for research and innovation, attracting exceptional and talented students based on specific admission criteria.

The college also seeks to prepare graduates who are technically, scientifically, and professionally qualified. The college is assigned to conduct specialized research and scientific studies in the field of arts.

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Culture

Jeddah Cultural Centers Offer Quality Programs to Support Arts, Creativity

Jeddah is witnessing growing cultural activity, reflected in the programs and events offered by cultural centers and institutions. (SPA)
Jeddah is witnessing growing cultural activity, reflected in the programs and events offered by cultural centers and institutions. (SPA)
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Jeddah Cultural Centers Offer Quality Programs to Support Arts, Creativity

Jeddah is witnessing growing cultural activity, reflected in the programs and events offered by cultural centers and institutions. (SPA)
Jeddah is witnessing growing cultural activity, reflected in the programs and events offered by cultural centers and institutions. (SPA)

Jeddah is witnessing growing cultural activity, reflected in the programs and events offered by cultural centers and institutions throughout the year, the Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.

These include art exhibitions, creative workshops, literary and knowledge-based gatherings, performing arts shows, and initiatives targeting children and youth, providing talents with spaces to learn, experiment, and express themselves while strengthening interaction between creatives and audiences.

The importance of these programs lies in their ability to discover talent and develop creative skills. They provide practitioners and enthusiasts with opportunities for training, networking, and the exchange of expertise, while opening avenues for young artists to showcase their work and reach audiences.

Jeddah's cultural scene derives its distinctive character from the city's identity and historical diversity. For centuries, the city has remained a meeting point for people from diverse cultures, which has influenced its arts, architecture, and social heritage, giving the contemporary cultural scene a rich foundation that draws inspiration from the past and presents it in a modern language combining the authenticity of place with contemporary creative trends.

Cultural programs also help build bridges between generations by presenting local heritage in contemporary forms and giving children and young people opportunities to discover and practice the arts in stimulating environments. This supports the sustainability of cultural knowledge and raises awareness of the value of heritage and national identity.

Culture

Mafia Link Feared in Sicilian Grand Master Theft

A drone view shows the grounds of the Museo Regionale di Messina, where four artworks by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight, in Messina, Sicily, Italy, August 16, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the grounds of the Museo Regionale di Messina, where four artworks by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight, in Messina, Sicily, Italy, August 16, 2026. (Reuters)
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Mafia Link Feared in Sicilian Grand Master Theft

A drone view shows the grounds of the Museo Regionale di Messina, where four artworks by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight, in Messina, Sicily, Italy, August 16, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the grounds of the Museo Regionale di Messina, where four artworks by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight, in Messina, Sicily, Italy, August 16, 2026. (Reuters)

The theft of four paintings by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina may have involved organized crime and raised troubling questions about security at a museum in the Sicilian artist's hometown, a local official said on Monday.

Enzo Caruso, Messina's councilor for culture, said it was difficult to understand how thieves could have removed the works in a matter of minutes without detailed knowledge of the museum's layout.

"It's a very, very strange affair," Caruso told Reuters.

The theft on Saturday has shocked Italy and revived memories of the infamous 1969 disappearance of a masterpiece by Caravaggio from a Palermo church -- a case long associated with Sicily's Cosa Nostra mafia ‌and never solved.

TOO ‌FAMOUS TO SELL

Caruso said the stolen Antonello works were ‌so ⁠famous that selling them ⁠even on the black market would be virtually impossible, raising the possibility that they could be used as bargaining chips or collateral in criminal dealings.

"The Mafia? It's possible they might try to blackmail the state itself in order to return them. These are the kinds of dynamics that ordinary people never get to see," he said.

He said another possibility was that the paintings could be used as guarantees or currency within the criminal underworld.

The thieves entered Messina's ⁠Accascina Regional Museum on Saturday evening, while the city was celebrating ‌a religious festival that brought thousands into the streets.

The ‌burglary only came to light some two hours later when tourists found two Antonello paintings, apparently discarded ‌by the thieves, leaning against the museum railings.

Renato Schifani, the president of Sicily, issued ‌a statement to say the museum's video surveillance system and alarm had been working normally, adding that an internal investigation was underway to see if any museum staff had been involved.

LOST PAINTINGS FOUND IN THE PAST

Caruso questioned how well prepared the thieves had been, pointing to the fact that two ‌paintings had been left in the street. "Perhaps they did not anticipate how heavy they would be. These are wooden panels ... stealing them ⁠is not as ⁠easy as stealing a canvas that can be cut from its frame," he said.

He also said a professional art thief would normally take greater care handling works worth tens of millions of euros, saying no attempt had been made to protect the paintings.

Italy's crack squad of art police are heading to Messina to take on the case, just three days after helping to retrieve paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse and Paul Cezanne stolen earlier this year from a museum near Parma.

While the Rome-based art theft police have established a strong track record in finding missing masterpieces, Sicily is still haunted by the memory of the missing Caravaggio.

"I have the feeling the thieves may be keeping the (Antonellos) hidden while things calm down," Caruso said.

"Or perhaps they immediately took the sea route," he added, noting that the museum lies close to the Strait of Messina.

"The hope is that sooner or later they reappear."

Culture

Palestinians Celebrate Jerusalem Festival Return After Gaza War Hiatus

Palestinian musicians take part in a final rehearsal before the opening of the Jerusalem Festival, held at the Yabous Cultural Center after a two-year hiatus, in East Jerusalem on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
Palestinian musicians take part in a final rehearsal before the opening of the Jerusalem Festival, held at the Yabous Cultural Center after a two-year hiatus, in East Jerusalem on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
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Palestinians Celebrate Jerusalem Festival Return After Gaza War Hiatus

Palestinian musicians take part in a final rehearsal before the opening of the Jerusalem Festival, held at the Yabous Cultural Center after a two-year hiatus, in East Jerusalem on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
Palestinian musicians take part in a final rehearsal before the opening of the Jerusalem Festival, held at the Yabous Cultural Center after a two-year hiatus, in East Jerusalem on August 16, 2026. (AFP)

Three years after its last edition, hundreds of fans are again able to enjoy the Jerusalem Festival, a Palestinian cultural celebration which had been on hold because of the horrors of the Gaza war.

The event, which will run for two months, opened on Sunday with a tribute to the late Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause.

At Yabous Cultural Center, in the Israeli-annexed east of the city, the Jerusalem Arabic Music Ensemble played a selection of Rahbani's work.

"An evening dedicated to Ziad Rahbani represents a major part of our memory. Jerusalem needs this kind of event," filmmaker Yousef al-Salhi told AFP.

The Lebanese musician and playwright, the son of iconic singer Fairuz and a musical pioneer in his own right, died last year aged 69.

Throughout the evening, Rahbani's repertoire, from mawwal --slow Arabic free-form vocal music-- to lively Levantine folk-pop, enthused the audience.

The last edition of the festival was held in the summer of 2023, before the war in the Gaza Strip erupted following Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.

"We insist on coming back... Today we return to give people hope. The festival brings hope and brings people together," said musician Suheil Khoury, chairman of the board of the Yabous Cultural Centre.

The festival is now four decades old, though the city's tumultuous past means this is only the 30th edition, with several wars as well as the intifadas, or Palestinian uprisings, of the 1980, 90s and 2000s forcing it to pause.

The festival will continue with musical performances, cultural talks and art exhibitions taking place at various locations across east Jerusalem until October 15.

"Everyone is thirsty for this kind of gathering amid the difficult circumstances we are going through -- the genocidal war, restrictions on Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the violence being perpetrated against us," Mona al-Dajani, an academic researcher who attended the opening, said.

Moussa al-Qawasmi, a resident of east Jerusalem, was enthusiastic to attend an event promoting Palestinian culture.

"They (Israel) don't want us to exist, but no, we are always ready... we will continue to celebrate, sing and dance."