The Alula Arts Festival, under its new slogan artboundary, launched its third edition on Friday with a number of events, exhibitions and creative initiatives that will be held over the course of 22 days in the picturesque landscapes of the ancient oasis of Alula.

This edition of the award is the first to witness cooperation between King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and Alula arts, as part of a broader partnership between the two entities to combine their efforts to support creativity in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region in general.

Wadi Al – fun also presents Manal al-duwayan, one of the most prominent contemporary artists in the kingdom, in her new commissioned work, which belongs to the art of the land, which came entitled "oasis of stories", which is an artistic installation in the form of a giant labyrinth inspired by the Old City in Alula, which will be permanently installed within the vast desert landscapes in Alula starting from 2026, interspersed with the days of the Alula Art Festival, two adjacent exhibitions-presenting types of painting, ceramics, soft sculptures, paintings and weaving Arts, which will be held in artistic, in the heart of Alula.

The first exhibition represents an important step in the development of the artwork "oasis of stories", where hundreds of drawings collected from the artist's practices and her participation in the workshops she held for the people of Alula are displayed. These drawings and stories are finally installed on the walls of the "oasis of stories", allowing the people of Alula to leave a lasting mark in the valley of art.

The other exhibition, presented in cooperation with Sabrina Amrani gallery under the title "their love is like every love, and their death is like every death", delves more into the practice of Al-dhuwayan, highlighting her works of art such as: soft sculptures made of tussar silk and printed with images related to the heritage of Alula; in addition to her maze-like drawings inspired by the ancient city of Alula and pottery engraved and made of clay collected from various regions of the kingdom; in parts of a mural embodying the "traditional Sadu" fabric, which was used by Bedouin women in ancient times.

Alula Arts will present two exhibitions of the Alula art residency program, one of which is the Alula fine art residency exhibition "What's left for us", the other is the Alula Design Residency exhibition "hidden womb", which will last until April 30, 2024, confirming Alula's growing role as a center for cultural exchange and artistic innovation in the region.

The Alula 1445 Gallery presents a collection of portraits by the artist Hassan Hajjaj, who is famous for his ability to mix contemporary art, fashion and cultural identity.

Hajjaj had taken a set of photos of the people of Alula in February 2023 in one of the open studios at Deira school, where the photos dealt with various topics including farmers, sports teams, merchants, artisans and the creative community.

The exhibition, which was coordinated by Dr. Effat Abdullah Al fadag, aims to redefine the history of the contemporary art exhibition in the Kingdom and document the stories of artists and the role of art collectors in the development of the art scene.the exhibition runs from February 9 to April 27, 2024 and is part of the festive program prior to the official opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Alula.

After holding two exhibitions since 2020, the open international art exhibition, Desert X Alula, returned for its third edition from February 9 to March 23, 2024, placing visionary contemporary artworks by Saudi and international artists among the exceptional desert nature of Alula.

This year's exhibition includes 15 new commissioned works, which are held with the artistic vision of Maya al-Khalil, Marcelo Dantas and the artistic direction of Ranim Farsi and Neville Wakefield.

The space is located in the Al Jadida artistic district, providing space for exhibitions, workshops and archives, and was designed to enhance cooperation between design professionals, students and design enthusiasts, in addition to promoting the legacy of Alula as a catalyst for creative inspiration and design.