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AlUla Arts Festival to be Held in January with Diverse Artistic Programs

AlUla Arts Festival will hold its fifth edition from January 16 to February 14, 2026. SPA
AlUla Arts Festival will hold its fifth edition from January 16 to February 14, 2026. SPA
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AlUla Arts Festival to be Held in January with Diverse Artistic Programs

AlUla Arts Festival will hold its fifth edition from January 16 to February 14, 2026. SPA
AlUla Arts Festival will hold its fifth edition from January 16 to February 14, 2026. SPA

AlUla Arts Festival will launch its fifth edition on January 16, 2026, transforming Saudi Arabia's historic AlUla Oasis into a vibrant platform for contemporary art, design, and culture.

The edition, which lasts until February 14, is described as the festival’s broadest and most diverse to date, featuring art exhibitions, performances, and immersive experiences that enrich the region’s cultural and artistic landscape.

This year’s edition marks the return of Desert X AlUla in its fourth edition, alongside a global exhibition presented for the first time as part of the pre-opening program for the anticipated contemporary art museum in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou.

The festival offers its most extensive design program to date through Design Space AlUla, hosting the AlUla Design Exhibition and events featuring Saudi and international designers. A public cultural program will run in parallel, including live performances, immersive shows, and interactive educational activities.

Desert X AlUla 2026 returns from January 16 to February 28 with a new selection of artwork inspired by the theme “Space Without Measure,” drawn from the writings of Gibran Khalil Gibran. The installations act as luminous points, mapping an expansive realm of imagination that explores the interplay between art and nature.

“Arduna” Exhibition, which will be held from January 15 to April 15, features a curated selection of more than 80 artworks by artists from the Kingdom, the region, and around the world.

The exhibition highlights the relationship between humanity and nature and forms part of the preparatory program for the forthcoming Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla, presented in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou and the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA).

During the festival, AlJadidah Arts District transforms into a dynamic creative hub, showcasing new artwork along Incense Road. The program also includes performances by the AlUla Music Hub and an exhibition by Saudi artist Sara Abdu at the Athr Gallery.

Meanwhile, Madrasat Addeera offers visitors direct interaction with artisans and demonstrations of how traditional crafts are being revitalized with a contemporary approach.

Moreover, Cinema AlJadidah will screen a selection of documentary and short films focused on art, while Design Space AlUla highlights the governorate’s growing role as a global creative hub through the AlUla Design Exhibition, along with works produced under its residency programs and the AlUla Design Award.

Villa Hegra will host a photography exhibition, featuring rare images from the early 20th century, alongside a contemporary visual show capturing desert scenes through the lens of Saudi filmmaker Saad Tahaitah.

AlUla will present “Vertige” in partnership with the Chaillot theater in France, with performers from AlUla's community.

In addition, art initiatives held in collaboration with the British Council will include “Reflections,” a fashion exhibition inspired by AlUla’s heritage.

At the nearby “Daimumah” site, visitors can enjoy an experience that blends art with nature through public-art workshops, planting sessions, and traditional-arts classes, offering a space that highlights the bond between people and place and the cultural identity of AlUla.

The AlUla Arts Festival 2026 offers an integrated artistic and cultural experience in one of the world’s notable natural and heritage destinations, further cementing AlUla’s position as an international platform for arts and creativity.

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Culture

Once a National Obsession, Traditional Korean Wrestling Fights for Survival 

An elderly spectator watches a ssireum match during a Lunar New Year Ssireum championship at the Taean Complex Indoor Gymnasium in Taean, South Korea, February 14, 2026. (Reuters)
An elderly spectator watches a ssireum match during a Lunar New Year Ssireum championship at the Taean Complex Indoor Gymnasium in Taean, South Korea, February 14, 2026. (Reuters)
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Once a National Obsession, Traditional Korean Wrestling Fights for Survival 

An elderly spectator watches a ssireum match during a Lunar New Year Ssireum championship at the Taean Complex Indoor Gymnasium in Taean, South Korea, February 14, 2026. (Reuters)
An elderly spectator watches a ssireum match during a Lunar New Year Ssireum championship at the Taean Complex Indoor Gymnasium in Taean, South Korea, February 14, 2026. (Reuters)

As South Korea's global cultural influence expands in areas such as music, film and television, one form of entertainment struggling to attract attention even at home is Korea's traditional style of wrestling, known as ssireum.

Ssireum - pronounced like "see room" - had its heyday in the 1980s and early 1990s, when there were as many as eight professional teams and the top wrestlers became household names. Since then, it has been squeezed by tighter budgets and a public quick to move on to new trends.

Twenty-year-old Lee Eun-soo, who began training at the age ‌of nine, is ‌taking part in this year's Lunar New Year ‌tournament, ⁠the showcase event ⁠for the more than 1,500-year-old sport.

Lee lamented that at his former high school, the ssireum team currently has no members and there is talk of disbanding it.

"I once tried to imagine my life if I hadn’t done ssireum," Lee said. "I don’t think I could live without it."

A ssireum match involves two wrestlers facing off in an ⁠eight-meter (26.25 ft) sandpit ring, gripping each other by a ‌cloth belt called a "satba" and using ‌strength, balance, timing and stamina to force the opponent to the ground.

Ssireum ‌was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ‌of Humanity in 2018, but that international recognition has not translated into commercial success. Its relative obscurity contrasts with the high profile of Japan's sumo, another centuries-old form of wrestling.

Unlike sumo, which is supported by ‌a centralized professional ranking system and six major annual tournaments - or Olympic wrestling, with its global reach - ⁠ssireum remains ⁠largely domestic.

"Sport is something people won't come to watch if they don’t know the wrestlers or even the sport itself," said Lee Tae-hyun, a former ssireum wrestler and Professor of Martial Arts at Yong In University, who has promoted the sport overseas and believes it has commercial potential with the right backing.

Lee Hye-soo, 25, a spectator at the Lunar New Year tournament, said many Koreans are now unfamiliar with ssireum.

"My grandfather liked watching ssireum, so I watched it with him a lot when I was young," she said.

"I like it now too, but I think it would be even better if it became more famous."

Culture

Saudi Arabia Concludes Guest of Honor Role at Damascus International Book Fair 2026

The Kingdom’s pavilion, led by the commission, attracted strong attendance and active engagement through its cultural activities - SPA
The Kingdom’s pavilion, led by the commission, attracted strong attendance and active engagement through its cultural activities - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Concludes Guest of Honor Role at Damascus International Book Fair 2026

The Kingdom’s pavilion, led by the commission, attracted strong attendance and active engagement through its cultural activities - SPA
The Kingdom’s pavilion, led by the commission, attracted strong attendance and active engagement through its cultural activities - SPA

The Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission concluded the Kingdom’s Guest of Honor participation at the Damascus International Book Fair 2026, held in the Syrian capital from February 6 to 16, drawing strong attendance and engagement from visitors and cultural enthusiasts.

The Kingdom's pavilion was highly praised for its rich cultural content and high-quality programs, reflecting the vitality and growth of the Kingdom’s literary and cultural scene, SPA reported.

Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission CEO Dr. Abdullatif Abdulaziz Al-Wasel stated that the Kingdom’s role as Guest of Honor at the Damascus International Book Fair 2026, represented by a high-level cultural delegation led by Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, highlights the depth of Saudi-Syrian cultural relations based on partnership and mutual respect.

He noted that the participation demonstrates the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing cultural exchange, a key objective of the National Culture Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030. Through this strategy, the commission emphasizes fostering constructive dialogue among peoples, exchanging knowledge and expertise, and consolidating the Kingdom’s active role in the Arab and international cultural landscape.

The Kingdom’s pavilion, led by the commission, attracted strong attendance and active engagement through its cultural activities. It showcased the commission’s programs and initiatives in literature, publishing, and translation, and featured a comprehensive cultural program, including literary seminars, cultural discussions, and poetry evenings with prominent Saudi writers and intellectuals.

These efforts enriched cultural dialogue with fair visitors and strengthened the presence of Saudi literature in the Arab cultural scene.

This edition of the Damascus International Book Fair marks a significant cultural milestone, reaffirming the value of books as carriers of meaning, spaces for dialogue, and starting points for a cultural journey that reflects the aspirations of the Arab cultural landscape toward a more open and aware phase.

Culture

Qiddiya City Begins Construction of Landmark Performing Arts Center

The Qiddiya Performing Arts Center supports the city’s positioning as a destination for creativity and cultural expression - SPA
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Qiddiya City Begins Construction of Landmark Performing Arts Center

The Qiddiya Performing Arts Center supports the city’s positioning as a destination for creativity and cultural expression - SPA

Qiddiya Investment Company has announced the commencement of construction works for the Performing Arts Center in Qiddiya City, marking an important milestone in the development of Qiddiya City as a destination for entertainment, sports and culture.

The announcement coincided with the laying of the foundation stone, signaling the start of construction works to be carried out by Nesma and Partners.

During the ceremony, held at the project site perched on the edge of the Tuwaiq Mountains, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company Abdullah Aldawood delivered a speech announcing the official start of construction. He highlighted the importance of the project as a transformative addition that strengthens Qiddiya City’s cultural offering.

The Qiddiya Performing Arts Center supports the city’s positioning as a destination for creativity and cultural expression, while contributing to the development of local talent and attracting international artistic experiences.

The Qiddiya Performing Arts Center has been designed by Tom Wiscombe Architecture, in collaboration with BSBG, and features a futuristic architectural style defined by monumental forms. The design comprises interlocking architectural panels and five illuminated blades that blend harmoniously with the desert landscape, forming a prominent cultural landmark within Qiddiya City.

The start of construction follows the launch of the first phase of Qiddiya City in December 2025, which included the opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City. It’s part of the company’s broader approach to developing integrated destinations that enhance quality of life and deliver distinctive experiences across entertainment, sports and culture.