King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture
Founded on key values of culture, creativity, community, art and knowledge, Ithra is a cultural institution located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Outside and in, the center is a feat of architectural ingenuity, with an ethos committed to supporting the local community and engaging a wider audience with a dynamic strategy of which its museum plays a vital role.
Ithra’s museum comprises a range of spaces, each with its own theme: (i) contemporary art, (ii) the art of Saudi Arabia (modern and contemporary), (iii) Islamic art and history, (iv) ecology and the natural history of the Arabian Peninsula, (v) an archive gallery, (vi) Children’s Museum and (vii) Energy Exhibit. The center plays a pioneering role in introducing modern and contemporary art to the Kingdom, operating an exciting and wide-ranging exhibition schedule. Recent displays have included Lebanese-American artist Etel Adnan and British photographer Peter Sanders.
Ithra places great emphasis on raising awareness of its local heritage and has helped develop an enthusiasm for museum going amongst its public through a sustainable series of programs. In 2024 this approach has a major focus on arts and crafts, providing many opportunities for the celebration of underappreciated artisans and their work. This initiative includes exhibitions, tours, workshops, lectures and the hosting of this year’s Islamic Arts Conference that centers on the significance of living craft traditions, which have developed over centuries and remain to this day.
Ithra’s long-term mission of celebrating and making accessible the art and culture of the past and present continues as a crucial presence in the Kingdom, offering new experiences to its audiences and fostering discourse on a global scale. We continue to collaborate with cultural institutions, both large and small, achieving our goals of bringing the best stories to our audience.
Explain in one sentence why you think the project you nominate is outstanding and could serve as an example for the entire community of modern and contemporary art museums.
With an international outlook, Ithra’s museum program has served as a major source of cultural enrichment in Saudi Arabia, providing access to a vast range of art and activities through its offerings that would not otherwise by accessible to its public.
Explain why this practice or program is relevant and sustainable in creating meaningful and lasting connections with people, communities, and the museum context with a medium to long-term vision.
Ithra’s museum program offers cultural experiences which resonate strongly with its public, encouraging new discoveries through exploration of identity and belonging. One of its latest contemporary art exhibitions, ‘Net Zero’, presents works concerned with environmental sustainability and climate change. This has introduced new artists and artworks to visitors who have had the opportunity to leave records of their own impressions in the form of drawings and notes. Exhibition artworks here have offered insights into the significance of present-day environmental change and encouraged valuable dialogue.
Ithra’s honoring of the art of ‘unknown artisans’, both local and international, will play a vital part in raising awareness of the unjustly neglected field of crafts. Through this, Ithra will continue building its reputation for supporting communities within KSA and further afield, offering visitors a rich selection of thoughtfully curated contemporary art.