Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape has grown rapidly in recent years, with new museums, festivals and creative initiatives taking a central place in the kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy. That growth is now being matched with a focus on funding and long-term development. This week, Riyadh will host the first Cultural Investment Conference, a two-day event organised by the Ministry of Culture to explore how investment and partnerships can underpin the next phase of growth.
The conference will take place on Monday and Tuesday at the King Fahad Cultural Centre. It brings together policymakers, investors and cultural leaders from Saudi Arabia and abroad for a series of plenary talks, panels and breakout sessions, opening with a plenary featuring the ministers of culture, economy and planning, and investment.
Key sessions and guests
The line-up features a wide range of regional and international participants. Among the cultural leaders confirmed are Charles Stewart, chief executive of Sotheby’s, and Guillaume Cerutti, chairman of Christie’s and president of the Pinault Collection. Noah Horowitz, chief executive of Art Basel, is also scheduled to appear, alongside Tony Vinciquerra, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The speaker roster also includes senior Saudi voices such as Faisal Baltyuor, chief executive of the Red Sea Film Foundation; as well as international figures including Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, former French Minister of Culture; and Lord Neil Mendoza CBE, member of the UK House of Lords and former UK Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal.
Day two will shift focus to technology’s impact on the arts, the growth of creative start-ups and the regulatory frameworks that support cultural investment. One of the day’s major plenaries, Saudi Giga Projects: Showcasing Culture to the World, will explore how developments such as Qiddiya, New Murabba and Neom are embedding cultural experiences and creative industries at their core. Speakers scheduled include Rayan Fayez, deputy chief executive of Neom, alongside senior executives from Qiddiya and New Murabba.
Key details
Across the two days, more than 30 sessions are scheduled, mixing plenaries, panel discussions and smaller Culture Studio debates. The programme is designed to bring together government officials, cultural leaders, investors and entrepreneurs to examine the opportunities and challenges in building Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy.
The Cultural Investment Conference will take place on Monday and Tuesday at the King Fahad Cultural Centre, Riyadh
