Since it is the “father of arts” and one of the oldest means of artistic and creative expression known to mankind, the theater, along with its performing arts, was included in the general framework of the national strategy for culture as a “sector of high importance.”
The Ministry of Culture has classified it among 16 sub-sectors on which its efforts and activities will focus. The National Theater Company was one of the first package of cultural initiatives, until the Council of Ministers approved the establishment of 11 cultural bodies, including the Theater and Performing Arts Authority.
The story of theater and performing arts in the Kingdom is remarkable and inspiring. Playwriting began even before the appearance of the theater itself in the country.
Since the writing of the first play in 1932, until the seventies and eighties of the last century, in which the theater flourished, the Kingdom saw years of creativity by Saudi writers and authors, such as Hussein Siraj, Ahmed bin Abdul Ghafour Attar, Abdullah Abdul Jabbar, Muhammad Malibari, Abdullah Buqas, Issam Khoqir and others, who “wrote their plays to be read” and to draw a path for future generations.”
Local educational leaders, such as Saleh bin Saleh, have also contributed to supporting the theater movement through schools and education.
The stage of establishment and growth knew a clear disparity, and the situation of theater and performing arts today no longer satisfies many of the sector’s artists and fans.
The year 2019 witnessed a relative increase in the percentage of adults who attended at least one play. The country also saw a growing theatrical activity in cultural and entertainment events, which confirmed that whenever a good product is available, the audience reaffirms its passion for arts.
International figures indicate that we have a lot to do. Venues that accommodate theater and performing arts activities account for 1.5 per one million people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 20 in the United Kingdom, 3.4 in Singapore, 3.2 in France and 2.5 in China.
The figures also show that the total number of theater and performing arts performances per one million people in Saudi Arabia did not exceed 16 shows in 2019, while it reached 944 in Britain, 858 in France, 797 in China, and 689 in Singapore in 2018.
With regards to the challenges facing the sector, the most important of which are capacity-building, infrastructure, governance, financing, regulations, licenses and technology, there are many opportunities that have not been optimally invested.
In the education sector - for example – there are huge areas for investment in the development and building of talents and capabilities, in partnership with the concerned authorities.
My colleagues in the authority have set among their goals for 2030, the graduation of 4,500 students in the sector, through higher education, a theater academy, partnerships with universities, and the cultural scholarship program launched by the ministry.
At the same time, the authority will work on scouting talents and laying the foundations for integrating theater and performing arts activities into education curricula, by training more than 25,000 teachers to become theater activity supervisors in public education, in addition to 4,200 trainees through vocational training programs.
As the current regulations and licenses constitute a challenge, the authority is seeking to develop the sector by simplifying and facilitating licensing procedures in a clear, flexible and uncomplicated manner. Thus, content permissions will be granted without the need for the prior validation of the texts, according to clear directions. We count on the self-discipline of our artists.
The strategy seeks to increase the production of content, ensure accessibility and motivate the audience, by enhancing its quantity and diversity, boost the variety of local production, while ensuring the achievement of the highest quality standards. It also aims to promote the Saudi theater sector among the public and artists at the local and international levels and increase the level of public turnout in all regions, social strata and different age groups.
Along with the private sector, the third sector institutions and specialized associations will also play a prominent role in the development process.
We are working to raise the number of performances in 2030 to about 9,920 shows, of which plays would represent 33%. Live comedy shows, folklore performances, musical plays, experimental shows, circus, opera and others will have a significant share, in order to contribute to the local production, increase the number of workers in the sector, and open up many horizons that support the quality of life in the Kingdom.
We want the Saudi theater to host the most important international shows, and we seek a diverse, attractive, high-quality theater that has a global impact, and that reflects our timeless stories, which are rich in culture and arts.
I dream that I will find Zarqa al Yamamah, Ghaliyya Al-Bogammiah, Rakan bin Hathleen al-Ajami and many of the heroes of our country on stage, and that their stories would resonate on theaters around the world, in line with the highest artistic and cultural standards that exceed the ambitions of the Saudis.
