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Saudi Minister of Culture Announces Establishment of Riyadh University of Arts

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan made the announcement at the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh on Monday. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan made the announcement at the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh on Monday. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)
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Saudi Minister of Culture Announces Establishment of Riyadh University of Arts

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan made the announcement at the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh on Monday. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan made the announcement at the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh on Monday. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan announced on Monday the establishment of the Riyadh University of Arts (RUA).

As one of the most significant investments in cultural education, the university aspires to become a hub for cultural education in the Kingdom, offering a range of degrees that equip students to impact the creative industries further and drive growth in the Kingdom’s cultural sector, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, said a statement by the Ministry of Culture.

Speaking at the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference, which kicked off in Riyadh, the minister said: "We are proud to launch Riyadh University of Arts as an extraordinary step in advancing Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector which enjoys unlimited support from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.”

“This institution will serve as a cornerstone for creative education and cultural innovation, enabling our students to acquire the skills, knowledge, and vision that will shape the Kingdom’s cultural future,” he added. “By supporting talents and celebrating our heritage, we aim to equip the next generation with the skills necessary to boost the creative economy's growth. Through this pioneering university, we empower Saudi artists and creators to leave their unique mark on the local and international cultural stage.”

The university aims to rank among the world’s top 50 international universities specializing in arts and culture, with a mission to cultivate an innovative education environment that empowers students to discover their passions, develop their talents, promote creativity, and contribute to the creative economy, he went on to say.

RUA will cater to educational levels through gradual phasing, covering all subsectors and offering a comprehensive academic portfolio that ensures continuous education in the fields of arts and culture. RUA’s academic offerings include short courses, diplomas, bachelor’s, higher diplomas, master’s, and PhDs.

Located in its Irqah campus in Riyadh, the university will launch through its first three colleges: Music, Film, and Theatre & Performing Arts. Colleges will gradually expand to thirteen colleges, offering programs across a range of disciplines, including Architecture & Design, Culinary Arts, Visual Arts, Heritage Studies, Literature, Cultural Management, Arts Management, Fashion, and more.

RUA will also provide scholarships for cultural talents. Full details of the university will be announced on the university’s official website when it launches in the first quarter of 2026.

The university has built partnerships with leading international institutions to design academic programs, collaborate in research, and offer enriching programs in cultural education and development. With a focus on fostering creativity and building entrepreneurial skills, RUA aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s talent pipeline, empowering artists, scholars, and cultural leaders to drive growth within Saudi Arabia and contribute to shaping the Kingdom’s cultural future.

RUA will directly contribute to the growing demand for skilled professionals in the cultural sector. This field is expected to see 7% annual growth in demand for qualified cultural talents, creating over 300,000 new jobs over the next decade.

With its focus on nurturing talent, RUA will become a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s economic strategy, driving the cultural sector to contribute over SAR80 billion to the national economy by 2030. The university aims to supply the cultural sector with qualified professionals by graduating 25,000-30,000 students by 2040 and training 1,000-1,500 teachers to support this growth.

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Culture

Lucian Freud Sue Tilley Portrait Could Fetch $47 Million at Auction

Sue Tilley, a model for British painter Lucian Freud, speaks in front of Freud's painting of her, titled "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" during an interview in Sotheby's auction house in London, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP)
Sue Tilley, a model for British painter Lucian Freud, speaks in front of Freud's painting of her, titled "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" during an interview in Sotheby's auction house in London, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP)
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Lucian Freud Sue Tilley Portrait Could Fetch $47 Million at Auction

Sue Tilley, a model for British painter Lucian Freud, speaks in front of Freud's painting of her, titled "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" during an interview in Sotheby's auction house in London, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP)
Sue Tilley, a model for British painter Lucian Freud, speaks in front of Freud's painting of her, titled "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" during an interview in Sotheby's auction house in London, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP)

A painting of Sue ‌Tilley, who found fame after artist Lucien Freud depicted her in the nude, will be auctioned next month with a price estimate of up to $47 million.

"Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" (1995-1996) is the last of four portraits the late British artist painted of Tilley or "Big Sue", a benefits supervisor and considered among his greatest works.

Depicting her naked and sleeping in an armchair, the painting has been part of businessman Joe Lewis's family collection since 1996. It is being offered at auction for the ‌first time at Sotheby's ‌with a price estimate of £25 million ‌to £35 ⁠million ($33.56 million to $46.99 ⁠million)

"It's made my life exciting," Tilley told Reuters on Friday at Sotheby's in London.

"I think that people can't believe that such a fat woman would take her clothes off and let someone paint her... I'm not really a vain person... everybody in the world is all different, all different shapes ⁠and sizes, so it's nice to have a ‌nice big one up there."

The ‌four canvases of Tilley, which Freud painted between 1993 and 1996, "are widely ‌regarded not only as the artist’s greatest body of ‌work, but also among the most important, most radical and most powerful paintings of the human figure in the entire history of art," Sotheby's said.

Among the four, "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" (1995), showing Tilley sleeping on a ‌sofa, sold at auction for $33.6 million in 2008 - at the time, a record for a ⁠work by ⁠a living artist. In 2015, "Benefits Supervisor Resting" (1994), depicting Tilley sitting in the corner of a sofa with her head back, sold for $56.2 million.

"It's very rare that at auction we handle literally one of the greatest works the artist ever produced. So this is a real opportunity for a great collector and a masterpiece collector to acquire something," Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby's Europe, said.

"Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" will be sold as part of the "Masterpieces from the Lewis Collection" London auction on June 24.

Freud, known for his nude, fleshy portraits of family, friends and himself, died in 2011.

Culture

Festival Honoring Lithuania’s Iconic Cold Beet Soup Brings Thousands to Vilnius

"Šaltibarščiai" beetroot soup is prepared during the Pink Soup Fest 2026, an annual event celebrating the in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 30, 2026. (AFP)
"Šaltibarščiai" beetroot soup is prepared during the Pink Soup Fest 2026, an annual event celebrating the in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 30, 2026. (AFP)
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Festival Honoring Lithuania’s Iconic Cold Beet Soup Brings Thousands to Vilnius

"Šaltibarščiai" beetroot soup is prepared during the Pink Soup Fest 2026, an annual event celebrating the in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 30, 2026. (AFP)
"Šaltibarščiai" beetroot soup is prepared during the Pink Soup Fest 2026, an annual event celebrating the in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 30, 2026. (AFP)

A festival honoring Lithuania’s iconic cold beet soup brought tens of thousands of visitors Saturday to its capital city, which was fully decked out in pink.

The colorful three-day Vilnius Pink Soup Fest featured a synchronized "Pink Break" lunch of revelers from across the globe all sharing in the beet soup, known as šaltibarščiai, sitting at long tables.

Organizers estimated that more than three metric tons (6,614 lbs) of the fermented milk drink kefir, a key ingredient, would be consumed over the three days and more than 100,000 people would attend the event.

Lithuanians devour the refreshing soup during the Baltic country's short summer. Besides beets and kefir, the ingredients include boiled potatoes, eggs, cucumbers and dill.

The festival attracted an international crowd, including tourist Connor Holmes, who came from the United Kingdom after he found the event online and thought "it was completely ridiculous in the best possible way."

"Before I knew it, I was building a suit of pink knight armor, carrying a spoon instead of a sword, and decorating my shield with eggs, dill and potatoes," he said. "At that point, coming to Vilnius and seeing all this craziness myself felt like the next logical step."

The city transformed into a giant pink playground as tourists and locals alike dressed up in pink. Others celebrated in cucumber, egg and beet costumes as the city hosted a parade on land as well as along the Neris River.

Jolanta Žukienė, a teacher from Vilnius, said this year was her fourth time attending the festival. She brought her three children and her husband along on Saturday.

"I can see how the number of attractions and visitors from abroad is growing, and Vilnius is becoming a real magnet for everyone who loves good food and unique experiences," she said.

The festival is part of the city's efforts to increase tourism to the Baltic country.

"Looking at the crowds on the banks and the decorated boats, we joked that cold beet soup already dominates both land and water," said Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, director of Go Vilnius, the city's development agency. "Perhaps the air is next."

Culture

Sunken Treasures Exhibition Showcases Red Sea Maritime Heritage, Conservation Efforts

The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological discoveries off the Saudi coast. (SPA)
The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological discoveries off the Saudi coast. (SPA)
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Sunken Treasures Exhibition Showcases Red Sea Maritime Heritage, Conservation Efforts

The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological discoveries off the Saudi coast. (SPA)
The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological discoveries off the Saudi coast. (SPA)

The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological discoveries off the Saudi coast. It highlights national and international partnerships, including collaboration with UNESCO, to explore, protect, and document underwater cultural heritage within an integrated ecological and cultural framework.

By showcasing these discoveries, the exhibition elevates public awareness around preserving marine history and underscores the Kingdom’s growing leadership in the field of maritime archaeology, the Saudi Press Agency said.

The exhibition illustrates the historical transformations of the Red Sea as a vital trade, pilgrimage, and communication route linking Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean over thousands of years.

Visitors can explore documented evidence of historic shipwrecks discovered off the coastlines of Jeddah, Yanbu, Umluj, and the Farasan Islands. These sites have revealed the remains of ancient merchant vessels that succumbed to the sea during various historical periods, offering a rare glimpse into the intense maritime activity that defined the region over the centuries.

Among the displayed collections are diverse maritime archaeological finds, including stone and wooden anchors, Chinese and Islamic ceramics, ancient pottery, glassware, coins, and vintage navigational instruments used to transport goods across the waves. These artifacts reflect the historical prominence of Saudi ports and their strategic role in connecting global trade routes between the East and West.

Additionally, the exhibition highlights ongoing Saudi research, scientific documentation, and specialized training programs designed to cultivate national expertise in deep-sea conservation, ensuring these treasures are safeguarded for future generations.