Saudi Arabia to launch 10 cultural events in next 3 months, $100 mln allocated for film industry: Official

Hamed Fayez, Deputy Minister of Culture

Saudi Arabia will witness more than 100 cultural engagements, events and initiatives over the next three months, said Hamed Fayez, Deputy Minister of Culture during the third day of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).

“We do have 10-year strategies, but the transformation is happening now,” he added.

In 2022, hundreds of millions of riyals worth development programs for the sector will be launched in the Kingdom, including $100 million slated for the film sector alone.

Moreover, three public libraires will be opened and 10 others will be revamped.

“We have been able to build 25 diverse cultural entities that are currently operational, including 11 sub-sectoral cultural commissions designed to develop 13 sub-sectors, responsible for films, music, arts, publishing, etc.,” Fayez elaborated.

Over the next 10 years, the cultural sector’s contribution to the Saudi economy will grow more than five times and a few hundred thousand jobs would be created, the top official concluded.

Write to Nashwa Farouk: nashwa.farouk@argaam.com