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Diriyah Art Futures Hosts Second Open Studio of Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency

The event, dedicated to digital media artists and held under the theme "High Resolution Dreams of Sand," explores the connections between environment, technology, and culture - SPA
The event, dedicated to digital media artists and held under the theme "High Resolution Dreams of Sand," explores the connections between environment, technology, and culture - SPA
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Diriyah Art Futures Hosts Second Open Studio of Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency

The event, dedicated to digital media artists and held under the theme "High Resolution Dreams of Sand," explores the connections between environment, technology, and culture - SPA
The event, dedicated to digital media artists and held under the theme "High Resolution Dreams of Sand," explores the connections between environment, technology, and culture - SPA

Diriyah Art Futures, the first specialized center for New Media Arts in the Middle East and North Africa, hosted the second edition of the Open Studio for the Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency at its headquarters in Diriyah.

The event, dedicated to digital media artists and held under the theme "High Resolution Dreams of Sand," explores the connections between environment, technology, and culture, SPA reported.

The event was attended by Diriyah Art Futures Director Dr. Haytham Nawar and the center’s Education Director Tegan Bristow.
Visitors were given the opportunity to view the projects that artists and researchers are developing for the Fall–Winter 2025 season, engage directly with resident artists such as Diane Cescutti, Juan Covelli, and Calin Segal, and learn about their creative work and research at the center.

Participating researchers in the program, entrepreneur Dr. Areej Al-Wabil and researcher Rahel Aima, delivered a presentation to attendees. Their presentations reflected the experimental and diverse nature of the Mazra’ah program, which encourages artists to work across multiple techniques and media.

The program provides selected participants with access to state-of-the-art production tools within a dedicated studio, fostering collaboration and the exchange of knowledge within the global artistic community.

The Open Studio represents an important milestone in Diriyah Art Futures’ efforts to play an active role in the global dialogue on New Media and Digital Arts. Resident artists will continue developing their projects until December 2025, with future public showcases planned.

The center also provides opportunities for artists and researchers to take part in its public events, educational programs, and artistic and scientific residencies, thereby enriching the Kingdom’s art scene and strengthening its position as a global destination for New Media and Digital Arts, while highlighting local talents in the fields of art, science, and technology. This reflects the Ministry of Culture’s commitment to preserving national heritage and supporting artistic practices that shape the future of the arts and humanities.

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Culture

Rare 19th-Century Octagonal Quran Goes on Display at Makkah’s Holy Quran Museum

The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)
The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)
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Rare 19th-Century Octagonal Quran Goes on Display at Makkah’s Holy Quran Museum

The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)
The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)

The Holy Quran Museum in Makkah is showcasing a rare and unique historical Quran written in India during the 19th century, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

The manuscript features a unique octagonal design and compact size, offering easy portability while reflecting a blend of practicality, artistic precision, and innovation in Quranic production.

The exhibit supports the museum’s mission to educate visitors about the history and evolution of Quranic calligraphy, while contributing to the growing cultural and tourism landscape of the Hira Cultural District and reinforcing Makkah’s global cultural significance.

Culture

How France Fell for Re-imagined 19th-Century Workers’ Canteens

A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)
A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)
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How France Fell for Re-imagined 19th-Century Workers’ Canteens

A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)
A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)

So-called bouillon restaurants are mushrooming all over France, reviving a traditional low-cost Gallic meal concept that can compete with fast-food on prices and easily beat it on quality.

"It's exploding! 253 bouillon restaurants have opened in France in four years," Bernard Boutboul, a restaurant consultant, told AFP.

"It's an ultra-intensive expansion, driven by a trend of returning to traditions, with the reappearance of iconic French dishes at very low prices."

Created in the 1850s by the butcher Adolphe-Baptiste Duval to fill workers' stomachs with hearty meals, Duval's ran 250 restaurants in the capital by the turn of the 20th century.

That made them France's first mass chain of restaurants, serving traditional recipes at low prices in high-volume and bustling restaurants.

But as eating habits changed, with higher quality and more expensive brasseries dominating the French food market, and international and fast-food trends appearing, the bouillon concept fell out of favor.

Its revival began in 2005 with the resurrection of the Bouillon Chartier, an ornate Parisian landmark that had been slowly fading.

"A bouillon is the gateway to French gastronomy," explained Christophe Joulie, part of the gastronomic family who took over the Chartier.

He modernized the kitchens and put beef bourguignon with macaroni back on the menu.

"For me, you have to be able to have a starter, main course and dessert for under 20 euros," he said.

With its leek vinaigrette for one euro and bills scribbled on paper tablecloths by apron-clad waiters, the restaurant hums with activity as locals and tourists alike pack out its tables, which crucially cannot be reserved.

"In a world where fast food is taking up more space, it's French-style fast food, because we serve a full dish for less than a sandwich at McDonald's," said Joulie.

- 'Dust off' -

Even multi-Michelin-starred French chef Thierry Marx has got in on the act, attracted by the idea of providing quality food at affordable prices.

He has opened a bouillon in a northern Paris suburb.

"In the 1960s, it took the equivalent of an hour of the minimum wage to eat at a bistro," he told AFP. "Today, with an hour of minimum wage, you only get fast food, something from the bakery -- or a bouillon dish."

Other restaurateurs with a keen eye for the market have sensed an opportunity.

"We looked at needs and changing habits and realized there was demand for intergenerational social spaces with no price-based exclusion," Enguerran Lavaud, director of Groupe Bouillon Restaurants, told AFP.

"I wanted to dust off the bouillon -- its mass-market French dishes available from noon to midnight."

Boosted by its Instagram presence, his Bouillon Pigalle now serves 2,300 customers a day, often with long queues along the pavement.

Since 2017, the concept has spread, attracting more and more restaurateurs across France from Angers to Nancy and Toulouse.

Some are adapting the concept.

In the Romainville suburb northeast of Paris, a family of Mauritian origin took over a large brasserie in 2026 to turn it into a "Mauritian-style bouillon".

There is an Italian bouillon in Paris too.

Industry insiders say they do not fear competition around what has become a "bouillon culture".

"But there are bouillons and bouillons: those that can't sustain the low prices over time, and whose menus change all the time, won't make it to 2027 or 2028 because you have to protect the quality of the experience to protect volume - and therefore prices," warned Lavaud.

According to consultant Bernard Boutboul, you specifically need "at least 300 seats and not exceed an average bill of 18 euros".

Culture

AlUla Marks World Heritage Day, Showcases Millennia of Human Civilization

AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA
AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA
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AlUla Marks World Heritage Day, Showcases Millennia of Human Civilization

AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA
AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA

AlUla Governorate is celebrating World Heritage Day, observed annually on April 18, by showcasing a historical legacy spanning thousands of years as a crossroads of ancient civilizations and a living testament to cultural continuity and architectural development, reinforcing its status as a premier global cultural center, SPA reported.

The governorate is home to landmarks of universal value, most notably Hegra, the first Saudi site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Other significant sites include AlUla Old Town, featuring over 900 traditional mud-brick houses that reflect the region's historical social fabric and unique architectural heritage.

AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects.

These efforts ensure the sustainability of its heritage for future generations, aligning with international standards for protecting human history and promoting global cultural awareness.