Gulf Theatre Festival in Riyadh celebrates theatre and art

The Saudi capital, Riyadh, is hosting the Gulf Theatre Festival in its fourteenth session, after a ten-year hiatus. This prominent cultural event, which was launched on September 10, 2024 and will continue until the 17th of the same month, is a golden opportunity to revive Gulf theatre and enhance cultural cooperation between the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Long awaited return and various offers The Gulf Theatre Festival is being held in Riyadh after a long absence, which gives the event special importance. Sultan Al-Bazie, CEO of the General Authority for Theatre and Performing Arts, expressed his happiness with the return of the festival, noting that this event represents a new beginning for joint Gulf theatre work. Al-Bazie confirmed that the Authority is working to develop the festival and Saudi theatre as part of its strategy to host international festivals and enrich the Saudi and Gulf theatre scene.

The festival includes six official theatrical performances representing the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: “Bahr” from Saudi Arabia, “Ashufak” from the UAE, “At the Other Bank” from Bahrain, “Al-Ro’a” from Oman, “Al-Khayma” from Qatar , and “Ghusat Abour” from Kuwait . These performances reflect the cultural and artistic diversity in the Gulf countries, and provide the audience with the opportunity to enjoy distinctive theatrical works.

In addition to the theatrical performances, the festival includes a group of training workshops and dialogue seminars that aim to enhance the theatrical and administrative skills of theatrical groups. Among these workshops are: “Cultural Management in Theatrical Groups” and “The Infrastructure of Theater in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.” These workshops represent an opportunity for theater professionals to exchange experiences and develop their skills.

Honoring the pioneers The festival will also witness the honoring of a group of the most prominent theatrical figures in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in appreciation of what they have provided to enrich the Gulf theatrical movement. This honoring reflects the great appreciation for the efforts made by these pioneers in developing the Gulf theater and enhancing its position.

Despite the challenges facing theatre groups in the Gulf States, such as the lack of financial and administrative support, the festival represents an opportunity to overcome these challenges. Khaled Al-Ruwaie, Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Civil Theatre Groups in the Gulf Cooperation Council, explained that great efforts are being made to overcome obstacles facing theatre groups and to enhance the financial and administrative independence of these groups.

The Gulf Theatre Festival in Riyadh is a prominent cultural event that reflects the cooperation and integration between the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the field of theatre. Thanks to the diverse performances, training workshops and honours, the festival is an opportunity to enhance the Gulf theatre movement and develop the skills of theatre professionals.