Saudi Arabia’s Visual Arts Commission has launched the third Art Bridges, a cultural exchange initiative that offers artists and practitioners living in the kingdom the chance to develop and showcase their practice abroad.
The 2025/2026 round of the initiative will take place across four programmes.
The first, in collaboration with the British Council Scotland, will take place between September 22 and 27.
While the trip to Scotland was nomination-based and already closed, the other programmes in the initiative are open to applications, with each of them is designed to reflect upon specific geographical and cultural contexts.
In Japan, running between October 31 and November 7, the programme will study how creatives respond to natural, urban and traditional environments. The itinerary in South Korea, taking place between November 19 and 27, will examine the impact of grass roots cultural movements. Finally, the programme in Spain, which will be held between March 2 and 9, will look into how collective practice emerges in contemporary and historic cultural spaces.
In each programme, participants will visit cultural centres and artist studios. They will take part in workshops and discussions with prominent figures from the local art scene.
Dina Amin, chief executive of the Visual Arts Commission, said the Art Bridges initiative is designed to foster cross-cultural exchange and highlight the kingdom’s artistic potential internationally.
“These professional programmes offer Saudi and Saudi-based cultural practitioners a unique opportunity to share their creative voices with the world, reflecting the depth and diversity of Saudi Arabia’s artistic landscape,” she said.
Those interested in applying should be at least 21 years of age. They should have a minimum of five years’ experience in their respective fields and submit a portfolio that showcases their cultural contributions. Proficiency in English and a full commitment to itineraries is also mandatory.
The deadline to apply for the Japan programme is August 21, whereas the application window for the other two trips closes at the end of the month.
More information about the Art Bridges programme is available at visualarts.moc.gov.sa
