A royal institute set up to preserve Saudi heritage and artwork has seen more than 1,000 graduates from its education programs in the year since its inception.
Three programs were created by the Royal Institute of Traditional Art after it began operating in September of last year, aimed at nurturing talent, bringing traditional artforms and crafts to a new generation to prevent them from being lost.
“We have launched 13 courses, under different subjects, and we have until now more than 1,200 graduates,” Suzan Alyahya, the director general at the institute, told Arab News
Oct. 21 will also mark the first successful year of the apprenticeship program, another offering of TRITA.
The program allows apprentices to shadow craftsmen, practise their own skills, and attend workshops and lectures exploring the history of the items they are making.
“It’s very unique and the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, where it focuses on bringing the knowledge from the master artisans to new generations. We started with two of them: Traditional weaving, which is Al-Sadu, and the mud building techniques,” Alyahya said.
The institute has three learning programs: The first is for short courses aimed at cementing a national identity through various interests including fashion, architecture, metal arts, jewelry making, stone and palm arts, applied arts, bookbinding, and calligraphy. The second caters to dance and song, while the third creates a focus on building skills through the restoration and curation of cultural items.
The institute’s aim is to open up new avenues for art exploration and enable young and emerging artists to delve deeper into the crafts of their ancestors and heritage.
“We need to support (students) to sustain the knowledge and continue working and have their own businesses in multiple arts,” she said.
One of the program’s collaborations is with the Royal College of Arts London, which helps develop gifted students.
“After that, we connect them and support them in the market, either by supporting them with the knowledge, with the funds and so on, to help them continue working and developing,” Alyahya said.
TRITA follows the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by providing opportunities for Saudi artists to explore different elements of cultural storytelling through artistic and creative expression.
Through protecting the craft of the region’s pioneers, the institute hopes to enrich the Saudi cultural art scene and empower growing talents by providing creative platforms and enriching environments.