Inaugural AlUla summit explores cultural landscapes

The inaugural AlUla Future Culture Summit (February 25-27) in Daimumah, AlUla, is focusing on the role of landscapes in shaping cultural evolution and the impact of nature on the places of habitation.

Being held by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the summit brought together 150 global culture leaders, including Rakan Altouq, Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Culture; Lise Macdonald, President of L’ecole School of Jewelry Arts; Laurent Le Bon, President of the Centre Pompidou; and international artistic director and curator Akiko Miki, to address culture’s most pressing issues.

Being held under the theme 'Cultural Landscapes', the inaugural summit is structured around three core sessions that explore a number of key topics: Fertile Terrains focuses on cultivating innovation and regeneration in culture, addressing the harmonious relationship between nature and cultural activities; Creative Grounds examines policies for growing the cultural economy and enhancing creative entrepreneurship; Impact Harvests delves into global cultural production's impact on local cultures, emphasising inclusivity and community empowerment.

The summit features three days of panel discussions, immersive performances, workshops, and guided exploration of AlUla’s remarkable cultural and physical landscape.

Highlights include panel discussions on geopolitics and culture, a fireside chat between Rakan Altouq and Laurent Le Bon on the future of museums, performances by Saudi performance artist Balqis Alrashed, and excursions across the region, including visits to Wadi AlFann.

Taking place during the third edition of the AlUla Arts Festival, under its new banner of Art Unframed, the programme includes visits to festival highlights Desert X AlUla 2024 and More than Meets the Eye at Maraya.

AlUla is a landscape regenerated by the arts, rejuvenated through cross-cultural dialogue with our esteemed partners. – TradeArabia News Service