Culture

Tyre’s Ruins Survived the Strikes. Now Divers are Finding their Way Back Underwater

Culture A diver passes above Roman-era columns at an archaeological site near the coast in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Tyre’s Ruins Survived the Strikes. Now Divers are Finding their Way Back Underwater

Beneath the Mediterranean waters off the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, divers swim past stone walls, ancient structures and a submerged road — remnants of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia - SPA

Historic Linah Marks Saudi National Day with Heritage Events, International Performances

Historic Linah, located south of Rafha in Northern Borders Region, will celebrate Saudi National Day with a series of national and heritage events at the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture  A person photographs Leonardo da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP)

Germans Arrested for Louvre Stunt in Mona Lisa Hall

Two Germans were arrested Saturday after they stuck two paintings on a wall of the hall that hosts the Mona Lisa in Paris's Louvre museum, police sources said…

Culture The agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices. SPA

Saudi Culture Ministry, ALECSO Sign Executive Program for Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Ministry of Culture has signed an executive program with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) to establish a…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture Visual Arts Commission logo

Visual Arts Commission Marks Saudi National Day with Cultural Campaign

The Visual Arts Commission has launched a cultural campaign for Saudi National Day, evoking national memory, culture, and shared lived experiences through…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)

Culture Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) launched its latest exhibition CONTINUUM ’26 on Thursday, showcasing the works of its second cohort of emerging artists and the program’s mentors. (SPA)

Diriyah Art Futures Opens Second Edition of 'CONTINUUM' Exhibition

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first center for New Media Arts in the Middle East and North Africa, launched its latest exhibition CONTINUUM ’26 on Thursday,…

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Culture This New York City Police Department photo shows one of three ancient sarcophagi fragments that the FBI Art Crime Team returned to the government of Lebanon during a September 2, 2026, ceremony in New York. (New York City Police Department)

US Hands Over Ancient Sarcophagus Fragments to Lebanon

The United States on Thursday announced the return of Roman-era sarcophagus fragments to Lebanon that were looted from the southern city of Tyre and recovered…

Culture A visitor at the Saudi pavilion at the Moscow International Book Fair 2026. (SPA)

Saudi Pavilion Inaugurated at Moscow International Book Fair 2026

Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission today inaugurated the Saudi pavilion participating in the Moscow International Book Fair 2026…

Culture Ministry of Culture Participates in LEAP 2026

Ministry of Culture Participates in LEAP 2026

The Ministry of Culture is participating in LEAP 2026 in Malham, north of Riyadh, with an interactive pavilion showcasing the convergence of cultural heritage…

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Culture This photograph taken on July 8, 2026 shows traditional wooden boats at a yard in Ibrahim Hyderi in Karachi. (AFP)

Boat Builders Keep Pakistan’s Fishing Heritage Afloat

The rhythmic hammering of nails and the whine of saws echo around a coastal Karachi neighborhood, where small figures of men work atop massive wooden fishing…

Culture The MoU aims to develop cultural experiences that showcase Saudi heritage, promote its preservation, and foster creativity and innovation in culture and heritage. (SPA)

Saudi Ministry of Culture, Asaan Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and Misk Heritage Museum (Asaan), affiliated with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), signed on Monday a memorandum…

Culture The exhibition will run until September 4 - SPA

Crafts and Handicrafts Exhibition 2026 Kicks off Tomorrow in Eastern Region

Eastern Region Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz will inaugurate the ninth edition of the Crafts and Handicrafts Exhibition 2026 on Tuesday…

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Culture An archaeologist displays an artifact found from an archaeological site in the northern coastal Lebanese town of Batroun on August 14, 2026. (AFP)

Lebanon Archaeological Finds Showcase Rich Heritage Despite War Woes

From a Roman temple to ancient olive presses, Lebanon keeps turning up archaeological treasures even as the latest Israel-Hezbollah war has caused excavations…

Culture Photo by SPA

Sakaka Cultural House, Cinema Association Screen Five Short Films

The Sakaka Cultural House, in cooperation with the Cinema Association, hosted a cultural event featuring the screening of five independent short films to…

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Culture Austrian media said the Van Cleef and Arpels necklace, with 673 precious stones, was worth several million dollars. (Getty Images)

Thieves Buy Tickets Before Plundering Necklace from Vienna Museum

Two men bought tickets to enter Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) before smashing a display case, grabbing a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace and…

Culture  Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, wearing a bright red wig and a Louis Vuitton polka dot scarf, speaks during an interview at her studio in Tokyo, on Aug. 1, 2012. (AP)

Yayoi Kusama, Who Splashed Polka Dots Across the Art World, Dies at 97 in Tokyo

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who splashed her signature polka dots on paintings, sculptures and museum installations around the world, has died, her studio…

Culture The program includes a series of in-person workshops in Riyadh - SPA

Fashion Commission Launches Third Edition of Saudi Heritage Revival Program

The Fashion Commission has announced the launch of the third edition of the Saudi Heritage Revival program, titled “Jewelry and Handcrafted Heritage”, in…

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Culture This year's forum will explore the human imprint in contemporary cultural practices and the relationship between people and creativity as patterns of cultural and creative production and reception continue to change - SPA

Misk Art Institute to Launch Creative Forum 2026 in September

Misk Art Institute, a subsidiary of Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), announced the launch of the Creative Forum 2026, to be held on September 3 and 4 at…

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Culture Painter and sculptor Sliman Mansour and his landmark 1973 painting, "Camel of Hardships". (Sliman Mansour on Instagram)

Palestinian Artist Sliman Mansour Dies at 79

Painter and sculptor Sliman Mansour, one of the most prominent names in Palestinian art, has died at the age of 79, his family announced. Mansour, whose…

Culture Saudi Arabia Establishes Cultural Center in Paris

Saudi Arabia Establishes Cultural Center in Paris

The Saudi Ministry of Culture announced on Monday the establishment of a Saudi cultural center in Paris on the sidelines of the visit of Prince Mohammed bin…

Culture Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan (third from left) and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot (third from right) during the meeting of the joint Saudi-French Ministerial Committee on AlUla on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi-French Joint Ministerial Committee on AlUla Underlines Commitment to Deepen Partnership

The joint Saudi-French Ministerial Committee on AlUla held a meeting in Paris on Monday, chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal…

Culture A view of the Les Invalides complex during the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. (Reuters)

Les Invalides in Paris: Icon of the French Military and Napoleon’s Final Resting Place

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will receive on Monday Prince Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in the Cour d…

Ghazi al-Harthi (Riyadh)
Culture File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

Riyadh to Host Security and History Dialogue Conference in September

Under the patronage of Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Ministry of Interior will organize the Security and History…

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Culture Saudi Arabia and France boosted their culture cooperation through nine executive programs signed during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the Kingdom in December 2024. (SPA)

From the Louvre to AlUla: How Culture Built a Strategic Bridge Between Riyadh and Paris

When Saudi artifacts were exhibited at the Louvre Museum, the Saudi-French relationship had not yet reached its current breadth. At the time, culture was a…

Aziz Mathari (Riyadh)
Culture Saudi Heritage Commission, University of Vienna Study Reveals Pottery Production Identity in Arabia 3,600 Years Ago

Saudi Heritage Commission, University of Vienna Study Reveals Pottery Production Identity in Arabia 3,600 Years Ago

The Saudi Heritage Commission, in collaboration with the University of Vienna, has conducted a new international scientific study revealing evidence that…

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Culture The Saudi Culture Ministry will oversee the national pavilion with participation from several entities

Saudi Culture Ministry Relocates to New Headquarters in Diriyah

Diriyah Company has announced the completion of the relocation of the Ministry of Culture to its new headquarters in Diriyah’s Northern District, developed as…

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Culture  Rowers from the United Boat Club train on the Pamba river in preparation for the Nehru Trophy snake boat race, near Kainakary, Kerala, India, August 7, 2026. (Reuters)

Kerala’s Snake Boat Racers Keep Tradition Afloat in Face of Floods and Financial Challenges

This weekend around 20 wooden boats, 100-foot long and powered by about 100 rowers each, will slice through Kerala's backwaters to compete for the most…

Culture CONTINUUM 26 runs from September 3 to November 7. (SPA)

Diriyah Art Futures Launches CONTINUUM 26

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), an asset of Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission under the Ministry of Culture, announced on Tuesday the lineup for CONTINUUM 26, an…

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

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 throughout the year, the…

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