Riyadh University of Arts Launches Its First Academic Year with 4 Colleges

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Today, Sunday, the Riyadh University of Arts welcomed its first batch of students, marking the beginning of the academic year at the university specialized in the fields of culture and arts, thus launching its first academic year in Riyadh.

I share with you today a step that I am very proud of, continuing my academic journey in studying music, and starting a new phase in the bachelor's program at the Riyadh University of Arts. My sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, for these precious words and for the genuine support and opportunities he provides for Saudi artists. God willing, I will be worthy of this trust and carry our music and Saudi identity with pride, and make an impact that befits this nation ❤️🇸🇦 @BadrFAlSaud

The university begins its first educational phase through 4 colleges and 8 academic programs, including the colleges of music, film, theater and performing arts, and cultural management.

With this very kind message from His Highness Prince Badr, I begin a step I have been striving for over the past 9 years, where I specialized in a master's degree in cultural management. I had gone to London twice to study English, but I was brought back by the (Corona crisis) on the first trip in 2020, and I stayed on the second for 6 months to study at a private institute, living with an English family. Since then, I have been working on myself to improve my English language skills, and I have taken 6 IELTS tests. To this day, I dedicate daily hours to reading, listening, and writing in English. Why cultural management? This specialization is not taught at any Arab university yet, and I wanted to study it because I had experienced management through passion and media and cultural sensitivity for two years, serving as the general supervisor of the Saudi Cultural Channel, which was sadly closed. I realized then that cultural management is a science in its own right, with principles and rules taught in the Western world. Since then, I have been pursuing this dream. God has granted it to me during the era of the visionary prince #MohammedBinSalman, who supported the learning journey without a specific age limit. Instead of going to study in Britain, while I was still corresponding with universities there, the opportunity came to me in my homeland among my family. With God's help, I begin the journey today, Sunday, September 6, 2026 @MOCSaudi @BadrFAlSaud

The academic programs launched by the university include specializations in film and television production, screenwriting, music production, music education, music, theatrical and cinematic acting, arts management, along with a diploma in film and television production.

For his part, the Saudi Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Farhan, confirmed in an article published in Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the large volume of applications for enrollment in the university highlights the passion of Saudis for culture and the arts, which stems from their authentic cultural heritage and ambitious future vision; the university has received thousands of applications for admission in various cultural specializations it launched in its first year, across different academic degrees offered. This indicates a genuine belief in the present and future of the arts in the Kingdom's grand developmental journey, coinciding with a phase where the entire world is witnessing a remarkable expansion in the creative economy and cultural investment.

He also pointed out that the university "offers its programs in collaboration with the world's top universities, through partnerships that contribute to the exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer, within an educational framework that combines academic rigor with creative innovation and the use of technology, balancing theoretical sciences and practical application, while enabling researchers to expand the circle of awareness and knowledge in a fertile cultural environment like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the cultural sector has proven its ability to actively contribute to the national economy, achieving rapid growth, thanks to the support of our wise leadership and the contributions of Saudi creatives in all fields."

The university opened the admission for the first batch last May, in preparation for the start of studies in September 2026, while its plan includes gradually expanding its programs and colleges to cover a wider range of cultural and artistic fields.

The university aims to eventually reach 13 colleges covering diverse specializations in cultural and artistic sectors, including design and architecture, fashion, visual arts and photography, heritage and civilization studies, museum management, literature and languages, libraries and manuscripts, cultural education, and culinary arts.

The launch of the university comes as part of the expansion in specialized education in the cultural and creative sectors, and the qualification of national competencies in the fields of arts and culture, which supports the growth of creative industries in the Kingdom.