Schools of brightly coloured fish burst from coral; fog hangs heavy over a black shore with stones glistening in the foreground; historic buildings delicately crumble, punctuated by palm trees.
These are only a few examples of the works submitted to Saudi Arabia's inaugural Kingdom Photography Award, devoted to immortalising the country's storied environments.
Now, having recently announced the first round of winners in its inaugural Kingdom Photography Professional Grant, Saudi Arabia's Visual Arts Commission is looking ahead to next month's Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition.
Together, they form the two main branches of the award, which offers a total cash prize of $106,000, as well as other prizes worth $53,000. The project aims to document some of Saudi Arabia’s never-before-seen landscapes and create a regional and global cultural exchange.
Dina Amin, chief executive of the commission, tells The National that it is also hoping to bring a variety of visual arts talent to the fore, while embracing different cultural practices.
“We have an amazing opportunity to really document and explore the country through a visual language, through photography, in ways that have not been done before," she says.
Last month's Kingdom Photography Professional Grant winners included Swedish photographer Alex Dawson for the Underwater category, Australian photographer Nyree Jane Cox for Urban Environment and Argentinian photographer Andrea Diana Alkalay for Nature Along the Coast.
Recipients of the grant were selected from a wide range of established photographers from around the world and were commissioned to create an archive of Al Wajh — a city in north-western Saudi Arabia, situated on the coast of the Red Sea in the Tabuk Province.
“The landscape of Saudi Arabia has not been hugely documented through the lens of fine art and through the lens of photography,” says Amin. “This is a wonderful moment to really refocus that lens and look at the landscape of Saudi Arabia.”
The second element of the awards is the Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition, which offers emerging and mid-career photographers from Saudi Arabia a chance to engage with experienced professionals through a number of collaborative workshops and masterclasses.
“We have a beautiful, creative community that for many years has not been known. And we want that to change,” says Amin.
“We want there to be understanding and awareness and celebration of those people that sit within the visual arts community of practitioners. So when we were thinking about this award, we were really looking to find a way to create moments for poignant exchange and poignant creative engagement.”
The 21 nominees, who were shortlisted based on an online application process, have already applied the skills and theory they learnt through masterclasses during a three-day shoot in Al Wajh. All the photographs by the shortlisted nominees will be printed and showcased in an exhibition organised by the Visual Arts Commission in Art Jameel’s new cultural centre Hayy Jameel in Jeddah, in December. From this work, three winners will be chosen from the same three categories as the Kingdom Photography Professional Grant.
The winners will be selected by a judging panel consisting of award-winning American environmental photographer Daniel Beltra; Zein Khalifa, founder of Tintera photography gallery in Cairo; dynamic Saudi photographer Moath Alofi and Abdullah Al-Turki, founding member of the Saudi Art Council, along with the three Kingdom Photography Professional Grant winners.
“As the Visual Arts Commission, one of the things that we care about very deeply is the idea of really bringing to the forefront the talent that resides within the country and really looking for ways to amplify and celebrate that on a stage that is local, regional and international,” adds Amin.
The winners' exhibition in Hayy Jameel will include both the Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition winners and runners up, and the Kingdom Photography Grant recipients.
This is the first step in encouraging both local and international photographers to discover, explore and record the landscape of the kingdom through the art of photography. Over time the awards will become a vehicle through which a rich cultural and artistic exchange can arise in Saudi Arabia, which also aims to forge global partnerships and transfer creative expertise and knowledge.
“I want the cultural landscape to be captured, to be celebrated, to be archived, to be documented, for it to be a point of pride for us all,” says Amin.
“I want this award to be a tool in that conversation, in a moment of change on a global scale, not just on a Saudi scale. I want us to be able to really highlight the depth of our history, of our culture, and of our landscapes.”
Scroll through images of the Sony World Photography Award winner Rinko Kawauchi's work below
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Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
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Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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%3Cp%3EFly%20with%20Etihad%20Airways%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20New%20York%E2%80%99s%20JFK.%20There's%2011%20flights%20a%20week%20and%20economy%20fares%20start%20at%20around%20Dh5%2C000.%3Cbr%3EStay%20at%20The%20Mark%20Hotel%20on%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Upper%20East%20Side.%20Overnight%20stays%20start%20from%20%241395%20per%20night.%3Cbr%3EVisit%20NYC%20Go%2C%20the%20official%20destination%20resource%20for%20New%20York%20City%20for%20all%20the%20latest%20events%2C%20activites%20and%20openings.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
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