Unity in a Time of Uncertainty: Ithra’s Approach During the Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

One landmark of the Saudi cultural scene in the time of Covid-19 has been the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (also known as Ithra), a recently opened Saudi cultural institution that features museums, a library, a cinema, a theatre, a children’s museum and more. Ithra’s mission is ‘to make a tangible and positive impact on human development by inspiring a passion for knowledge, creativity and cross-cultural engagement for the future of the kingdom’. It is particularly unusual insofar as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has historically counted few museums and has an underdeveloped cultural ecosystem. The nation has been undergoing an intentional transformation with Vision 2030. The programme includes vast investment in the cultural and creative sector, advancement of the quality of life and the development of cultural and creative industries (CCI). This article aims to map and understand the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on Ithra’s institutional presence and programming. It argues that the challenges of the pandemic – which are expected to lead to the permanent closure of more than 15 per cent of the world’s museums – became an opportunity to expand Ithra’s efforts to widen its relationships with audiences, communities, creative professionals and institutional stakeholders. Saudi Arabia’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has placed it at the highest ranks on international indexes in 2021. This article will present three different initiatives that showcase the tactics of the institution during and post-lockdown, highlighting key achievements. When Ithra opened to the public in 2018, there was no pre-existing audience for cultural offerings. Ithra had to create and engage audiences, position itself as an active member of the different communities and raise awareness related to culture and creativity in the whole region. Its focus on outreach and its diverse offerings have been essential components of Ithra’s existence. In some cases, Ithra has found more success than its established international peers that exist in mature CCI ecosystems. During lockdown, instead of curtailing its offerings, Ithra increased them, greatly expanding by capitalising on its already robust digital and virtual platforms.