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Diriyah Art Futures Announces Summer Program Alongside Maknana Exhibition

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announces a program of activities running throughout June and July. (SPA)
Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announces a program of activities running throughout June and July. (SPA)
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Diriyah Art Futures Announces Summer Program Alongside Maknana Exhibition

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announces a program of activities running throughout June and July. (SPA)
Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announces a program of activities running throughout June and July. (SPA)

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the MENA region's first hub dedicated to New Media Arts, has announced a program of activities running throughout June and July. Visitors can immerse themselves in the dynamic world of New Media Art and deepen their understanding through a series of interactive talks, hands-on workshops, and masterclasses led by local, regional, and international artists, SPA reported.

According to a recent DAF press release, these sessions are presented as part of DAF's current exhibition, Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World, which explores the evolution of New Media practices across the region. Featuring more than 70 artworks by over 40 artists, Maknana sheds light on how Arab artists have navigated and reimagined technology through four key curatorial themes: Automation, Autonomy, Ripples, and Glitch.

From creating immersive narratives to exploring 3D scanning technologies and from motion design to pixel art, the program caters to artists, enthusiasts, and kids alike. It offers an opportunity to deepen their understanding of New Media Art or explore new technologies.

The release highlighted that on June 19, 2025, a session titled "Experimental Concepts in Educational Practices of Media Arts" will review the experimental strategies and pedagogical approaches that have shaped the teaching of digital and media arts in Egypt and the wider Arab region since the early 2000s. It also addresses the evolving role of education in supporting creative engagement with new technologies.

On June 20-21, a masterclass titled "Ready-Made Dreams – Immersive Narratives" will enable participants to explore the creative potential of archival and found visual materials. Attendees will learn how to layer and transform content into immersive narratives through hands-on exercises using video, photography, text, and animation.

Moreover, on July 3, a dialogue session entitled "Talk and Screening: Cartographies of a Future" delves into how digital tools are reshaping our understanding of photography and perception itself. ScanLAB Projects utilizes 3D scanning to transcend the boundaries of traditional photography, offering new ways to capture, preserve, and critically reflect on the world. Following the session, two short films will be screened.

On July 4-5, a masterclass titled "Memory in Three Dimensions" explores the intersection of cutting-edge 3D scanning technology and the intricate workings of human memory. The two-day, hands-on session will challenge participants to rethink the nature of personal archives in the digital age. Through a blend of practical demonstrations and interactive exercises, participants will explore 3D scanning technologies and create 3D scans, delving into the potential and pitfalls of creating perfect digital replicas of their lives.

On July 5, a workshop entitled "Motion Design for Film and Media" will explore the art and impact of motion design and computer graphics. Participants will delve into the history of these formats, analyze key examples, and ultimately create their title design project. By the end of the session, participants will have a deeper understanding of how motion design influences media and the skills to apply it creatively.

A book symposium, "Rewiring Narratives: New Media Art from the Arab World," will be held on July 12. This symposium marks the launch of Rewiring Narratives: New Media Art from the Arab World, a landmark edited volume.
On July 17, a dialogue session titled "Traces of Change: Processing Reality Through Art" will take place.
A workshop titled "Pixel by Pixel: Introduction to Pixel Art" on July 18 will explore the history and evolution of pixel art, from its roots in early video games to its place in contemporary digital art. Participants will learn key techniques and experiment with creating their pixel artwork in a guided hands-on session.

Also, on July 18, a kids' workshop titled "Art Bot" will teach kids to build drawing robots. Using simple motors, markers, and everyday materials, children will build kinetic machines that move, spin, and scribble, creating vibrant, one-of-a-kind artworks. Blending play with invention, the workshop fosters creativity, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of how design and motion work together.

 

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Culture

Saudi Arabia: Ship of Tolerance Initiative Promotes Cultural Dialogue in Jeddah

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA
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Saudi Arabia: Ship of Tolerance Initiative Promotes Cultural Dialogue in Jeddah

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA

The Saudi Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the "Lenobadir" volunteer and community partnership program and the Athr Foundation, has launched the Ship of Tolerance initiative in Historic Jeddah during Ramadan.

The initiative aims to enhance shared human values through arts, and promote tolerance and coexistence among children and families. It provides an educational and cultural experience aligned with the area’s unique character as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As part of this global art project, children will create artworks that represent acceptance and dialogue.

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan, linking the initiative's values with local heritage and enriching visitors' connection to the region's identity.

This effort supports cultural programs with educational and social dimensions in Historic Jeddah, activating local sites for experiences that combine art, crafts, and community participation. It aligns with the National Strategy for Culture under Saudi Vision 2030, focusing on heritage preservation and expanding culture's impact on daily life.

Culture

Oscar Contender ‘Hamnet’ Boosts Tourism at Shakespeare Heritage Sites 

A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)
A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Oscar Contender ‘Hamnet’ Boosts Tourism at Shakespeare Heritage Sites 

A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)
A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)

On a cloudy winter's day, visitors stream into what was once William Shakespeare's childhood home in Stratford-upon-Avon and the nearby Anne Hathaway's cottage, family residence of the bard's wife.

Hathaway's cottage is one of the settings for the BAFTA and Oscar best film contender "Hamnet", and the movie's success is drawing a new wave of tourists to Shakespeare sites in the town in central England.

Shakespeare's Birthplace is the house the young William once lived in and where his father worked as a glove maker, while Hathaway's cottage is where he would have visited his future wife early in their relationship.

Typically, around 250,000 visitors, from the UK, Europe, the United States, China and elsewhere, walk through the locations each year, according to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. ‌The charity looks after ‌Shakespeare heritage sites, which also include Shakespeare's New Place, the site of ‌the ⁠Stratford home where the ⁠bard died in 1616.

Visitors are flocking in this year thanks to "Hamnet", the film based on Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel, which gives a fictional account of the relationship between Shakespeare and Hathaway, also known as Agnes, and the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet in 1596.

"Visitor numbers have increased by about 15 to 20% across all sites since the film was released back in January. I think that will only continue as we go throughout the year," Richard Patterson, chief operating officer for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said.

"They particularly want ⁠to look (at) Anne Hathaway's cottage and the specifics around how the family ‌engaged in the spaces and the landscape in and around ‌the cottage... you can see why he would have been inspired."

NEW ACCESS TO SHAKESPEARE

"Hamnet" has 11 nominations at ‌Sunday's British BAFTA awards, including best film and leading actress for Jessie Buckley, who plays Agnes. It ‌also has eight Oscar nominations, with Buckley seen as the frontrunner to win best actress.

"Hamnet" is set in Stratford-upon-Avon and London although it was not filmed in Stratford.

It sees Paul Mescal's young Shakespeare fall for Agnes while teaching Latin to pay off his father's debts. The drama, seen mainly through Agnes' eyes, focuses on their ‌life together and grief over Hamnet's death, leading Shakespeare to write "Hamlet".

"Shakespeare... is notoriously enigmatic. He writes about humanity, about feeling, about emotion, about conflict, ⁠but where do we understand ⁠who he is in that story?" said Charlotte Scott, a professor of Shakespeare studies and interim director of collections, learning and research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

"And that's driven people creative and otherwise for hundreds and hundreds of years. Where is Shakespeare's heart? And this is what the film I think has so beautifully opened up."

Little is known about how the couple met. Shakespeare was 18 and Hathaway 26 when they married in 1582. Daughter Susanna arrived in 1583 and twins Judith and Hamnet in 1585.

The film acknowledges the names Hamnet and Hamlet were interchangeable back then. While grief is a dominant theme, audiences also see Shakespeare in love and as a father.

"A lot of people will see this film not necessarily having... had any kind of relationship with Shakespeare," Scott said.

"So people will come to this film, I hope, and find a new way of accessing Shakespeare that is about creativity, that is about understanding storytelling as a constant process of regeneration, but also crucially, looking at it from that kind of emotive angle."

Culture

Culture Ministry Continues Preparations in Historic Jeddah to Welcome Visitors during Ramadan 

Historic Jeddah has emerged as a leading cultural tourism destination during Ramadan. (SPA)
Historic Jeddah has emerged as a leading cultural tourism destination during Ramadan. (SPA)
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Culture Ministry Continues Preparations in Historic Jeddah to Welcome Visitors during Ramadan 

Historic Jeddah has emerged as a leading cultural tourism destination during Ramadan. (SPA)
Historic Jeddah has emerged as a leading cultural tourism destination during Ramadan. (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is continuing its efforts to revitalize Historic Jeddah in preparation for welcoming visitors during the holy month of Ramadan, offering cultural programs, events, and heritage experiences that reflect the authenticity of the past.

The district has emerged as a leading cultural tourism destination at this time of year as part of the “The Heart of Ramadan” campaign launched by the Saudi Tourism Authority.

Visitors are provided the opportunity to explore the district’s attractions, including archaeological sites located within the geographical boundaries of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed area, which represent a central component of the Kingdom’s urban and cultural heritage.

The area also features museums that serve as gateways to understanding the city’s rich heritage and cultural development, in addition to traditional markets that narrate historical stories through locally made products and Ramadan specialties that reflect authentic traditions.

These initiatives are part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to revitalize Historic Jeddah in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and aiming to transform it into a vibrant hub for arts, culture, and the creative economy, while preserving its tangible and intangible heritage.