Appointment of Sophie Makariou as Scientific Director

The French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA) announces the appointment of Sophie Makariou as Scientific Director in charge of the Culture and Heritage division (Archaeology, Contemporary Art and Museums). Sophie Makariou was previously President of the Musée des Arts asiatiques – Guimet. She succeeds Jean-François Charnier, who left his post in September 2022. Gérard Mestrallet…

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France and Saudi Arabia sign long-term partnerships

During the visit to AlUla of the Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade, Attractiveness, and French Nationals Abroad, the Royal Commission for AlUla signed a foundational agreement with RATP Dev, a subsidiary of the RATP group, as well as two memoranda of understanding with the French companies Amane Advisors and Idverde concerning long-term strategic partnerships.

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The French Agency for AlUla Development is pleased to announce that five era-defining artworks will become part of new cultural destination Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts, AlUla

A render of Ashab Al-Lal by Ahmed Mater at Wadi AlFann, AlUla

AlUla, Monday 27 June 2022 – The Royal Commission for AlUla reveals plans for Wadi AlFann, meaning ‘Valley of the Arts’, an awe-inspiring new global cultural destination for contemporary art, where era-defining works by some of the most compelling artists from around the world will be permanently placed in the monumental landscape of AlUla, the extraordinary desert region of north-west Saudi Arabia steeped in thousands of years of natural, historical and cultural heritage.

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AlUla, the new Saudi El Dorado co-developed by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and the French Agency for AlUla development (AFALULA)

With 34 million inhabitants in an area of over 2 million square kilometers, Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East, covering two-thirds of the Arabian Peninsula on its own. A territory 4.5 times larger than France, which opened its doors to the world in 2019 and revealed previously hidden treasures like AlUla. This region, located in the province of Medina in the northwest of the country, is at the heart of the ambitious and modern development plan named “Vision 2030”, driven by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and implemented by the Kingdom since 2016.

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The first edition of AlUla Art Residency closes with artists premiering contemporary works inspired by the historic oasis of AlUla

After eleven-weeks of exploration and experimentation, the first AlUla Art Residency programme, under the theme of ‘The Oasis Reborn’, has successfully concluded this weekend.

During three days of open studios, artists’ works – ranging from experimental sculptures to large-scale site specific or multimedia installations – were displayed in Mabiti AlUla and its surrounding palmgrove, inviting visitors to immerse themselves into the historical and cultural oasis of AlUla.

The artworks of the artists will also be displayed at the occasion of AlUla Arts festival taking place in AlUla from February 13 to February 26, 2022.

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