Prince Bader bin Abdullah Meets French Culture Minister as RCU and Centre Pompidou Expand Partnership

📷SPA

Paris, October 22 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, met with France’s Minister of Culture Rachida Dati during his official visit to the French Republic, the Royal Commission for AlUla announced on Wednesday.

According to the commission, a section of the Centre Pompidou will be named in gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the museum’s reopening, with the details to be finalized in line with its new layout.

The announcement also included the launch of a comprehensive cultural and artistic programme running until 2030, featuring a research initiative on modern and contemporary Saudi artists, developed in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou’s curatorial and academic teams. The programme will include educational activities for young audiences, knowledge exchange, and expertise transfer between cultural professionals.

Under the agreement, the Royal Commission for AlUla will provide €50 million to support the Centre Pompidou 2030 project, aimed at renovating and expanding the museum’s facilities and strengthening its educational and artistic programming.

The RCU noted that this initiative extends the strategic Saudi-French partnership in the cultural and creative sectors, established under the leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of RCU’s Board of Directors, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The partnership emphasizes the shared commitment of both nations to culture as a bridge for international dialogue and a driver of sustainable development.

The RCU also announced the upcoming “Arduna” exhibition, to be held during the AlUla Arts Festival in January 2026, in collaboration with Arts AlUla, the Centre Pompidou, and the French Agency for AlUla Development. The exhibition will feature new works by international artists, alongside workshops and live performances that aim to nurture emerging talent and further enrich AlUla’s evolving cultural landscape.

The commission affirmed that this partnership with world-leading cultural institutions underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting culture and the arts as essential pillars of comprehensive development under Saudi Vision 2030, while strengthening AlUla’s position as a global hub for creativity and innovation.