The French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA) welcomes the opening of Villa Hegra, a new landmark of Saudi-French cultural dialogue and creation
Villa Hegra was officially inaugurated on October 2, 2025, in AlUla, in the presence of His Highness Prince Badr bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Culture, Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), and Chairman of the Villa Hegra Foundation, alongside representatives of the Saudi and French governments, as well as numerous cultural, artistic, academic, and economic figures.
The Kingdom’s first bilateral institution dedicated to cultural cooperation and contemporary creation, Villa Hegra embodies the shared ambition of Saudi Arabia and France to position AlUla as an internationally renowned cultural and artistic destination.
Established following an intergovernmental agreement signed on December 4, 2021, Villa Hegra was constituted by Royal Decree on December 4, 2024, during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Riyadh and AlUla. It offers a space for creation and transmission across a wide range of disciplines, including visual arts, design, performing arts, cinema, and research.
After two years of off-site programming launched in 2023, Villa Hegra opens the doors of its newly renovated buildings, located in the heart of AlUla. The site includes an exhibition hall, artist studios, educational spaces, the region’s first studio dedicated to the performing arts, as well as an auditorium hosting AlUla’s first indoor cinema.
Under the artistic direction of the Saudi-French duo Gaël Charbau and Basmah Felemban, Villa Hegra launches its 2025-2026 cultural season. This inaugural program will feature artist residencies, partnerships with major French institutions, original exhibitions, educational workshops, and academic exchanges.
On the occasion of its inauguration, Villa Hegra held the first meeting of its Foundation’s Board of Directors, chaired by His Highness Prince Badr bin Farhan Al Saud.
On October 21, 2025, Villa Hegra will officially join the prestigious international network of cultural Villas, alongside Villa Medici (Rome), Casa de Velázquez (Madrid), Villa Kujoyama (Kyoto), and Villa Albertine (United States). This membership will further strengthen artistic and academic exchanges on a global scale.
Jean-Yves Le Drian, Chairman of AFALULA, declared:
The opening of Villa Hegra marks a major milestone in cultural cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia. Villa Hegra embodies the encounter between the heart of the Arab world and French creative spirit. This leading cultural institution, dedicated to the promotion of the arts and artistic innovation, seals the ambitious cultural dialogue initiated between France and the Kingdom and extends it further towards a broader cooperation between European and Arab cultures. Villa Hegra illustrates the vitality of intercultural exchange and contributes to strengthening the relations of sharing and mutual enrichment between our two nations.
Feriel Fodil, CEO of Villa Hegra, added:
The opening of Villa Hegra marks a decisive step. This unique place now becomes the vibrant heart of our artistic and cultural programming, offering artists and audiences, both local and international, a space for creation, collaboration, and transmission. It embodies our profound ambition: to awaken artistic sensibilities, reveal talents, and inspire new vocations.
Resulting from the collaboration between its two founding entities, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA), Villa Hegra is conceived as a cornerstone of cultural and artistic dialogue between Saudi Arabia and France, serving Vision 2030 and contributing to AlUla’s and Saudi Arabia’s international outreach.