• The one-year, fully supported programme offers access to world-class facilities and mentors
  • The group includes artists from 11 countries, with three Saudi artists and six more from MENA

RIYADH: Diriyah Art Futures, a pioneering New Media Arts centre in Saudi Arabia, has announced the 12 successful applicants to its inaugural Emerging New Media Artists Programme. Launching later this year, it includes a diverse array of promising talent representing a broad range of creative practices and backgrounds, with strong representation from Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.

Running for one year, the fully funded programme offers access to cutting-edge professional equipment and facilities, a production budget, learning experiences with international guest professors specialising in New Media Art and personal mentorships from prominent international digital artists.

The inaugural group of Emerging New Media Artists includes:

  • Salma Aly (Egypt), specialising in Interactive Art.
  • Samia Dzaïr (Algeria-France), a 2D and stop motion animator.
  • Aya Abu Ghazaleh (Jordan), a visual artist and art therapist.
  • Dhia Dhibi (Tunisia), a multidisciplinary artist, curator and researcher.
  • Khaled Makshoush (Saudi Arabia), who specialises in pixel art.
  • William Brooks (Wales), an artist exploring sound art through physical objects.
  • Haonan HE (China), who merges cartography, instrument making and digital tech.
  • Turki AlQahtani (Saudi Arabia), a media artist and filmmaker reflecting Arab motifs.
  • Youssef El Idrissi (Morroco), a multidisciplinary artist, cultural engineer and researcher.
  • Kyle Donald Marais (South Africa), an XR developer and creative technologist.
  • Mohamed Al Mubarak (Bahrain), a documentary filmmaker and video artist.
  • Almuqawil Meshal (Saudi Arabia), an independent artist and curator.

Designed in collaboration with Le Fresnoy - Studio National des Arts Contemporains in France, the programme is part of a wider partnership between the Ministry of Culture and Diriyah Company, to facilitate creativity across art, technology and academia. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Diriyah, DAF seeks to establish Riyadh as a global capital of New Media Art, and empower the next generation of creative pioneers.

Find out more about DAF and on social media:
X @DAFmoc
Instagram @DAFmoc

About Diriyah Art Futures   

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) is an arts, research and education centre driven by a belief in the power of interdisciplinary creative practice at the intersection of art, science, and technology. Developed by the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia, DAF is the region’s first institution dedicated to New Media and Digital Arts. It is a space for collaboration, speculation and production by creative practitioners from across the globe, focused on research, documentation and producing new work.  

Diriyah Art Futures invites participation from artists and scholars through upcoming public activities, educational programming, artistic and research residencies and grant opportunities. It aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a global centre for New Media and Digital Art, while amplifying the voice of the region in its engagement with art, science, and technology.   

Set in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diriyah, DAF reflects the Ministry of Culture’s commitment to preserving the country’s unique heritage while playing a pioneering role in developing and leading new art practices that will shape the future of art and humanity.  

Find Diriyah on social media: Twitter: @DAFmoc | Instagram: @DAFmoc | Website: https://daf.moc.gov.sa/en/  

About the Emerging New Media Artists Programme 

The Emerging New Media Artists Programme (EAP) is a supported one-year programme of creative production training. 

Developed by DAF in collaboration with Le Fresnoy - Studio National des Arts Contemporains in France, it provides emerging artists with access to cutting-edge professional equipment and a production budget, as well as a wide range of multidisciplinary learning opportunities. 

The programme includes theoretical, conceptual and technical learning seminars, as well as personal mentorship by prominent international digital artists. 

Applicants can also expect an accessible space with exhibitions, screenings and dedicated technical labs for professional creation and innovative digital development. Throughout the year, the centre will host prestigious artists and international institutions engaging in new media and technology arts. 

Interested artists can learn more and apply here: www.daf.moc.gov.sa/en.