Saudi Arabia announces establishment of Riyadh University of Arts

Riyadh, September 30 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan announced on Tuesday the establishment of the Riyadh University of Arts (RUA), describing it as one of the Kingdom’s most significant investments in cultural education.

The announcement was made during the Cultural Investment Conference at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh.

The Ministry of Culture said RUA aspires to rank among the world’s top 50 universities specializing in arts and culture. The university will provide programs ranging from short courses and diplomas to bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees, catering to multiple subsectors of culture and creative industries.

The first colleges to be launched at the Irqah campus in Riyadh will be Music, Film, and Theatre & Performing Arts, with plans to expand to 13 colleges covering disciplines including Architecture and Design, Culinary Arts, Visual Arts, Heritage Studies, Literature, Cultural Management, Arts Management, and Fashion. Scholarships for cultural talents will also be offered.

The ministry said RUA will partner with international institutions to design academic programs, collaborate on research, and provide cultural education and development opportunities. The university aims to nurture creativity, build entrepreneurial skills, and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s cultural talent pipeline.

The project is expected to address growing demand for skilled professionals in the cultural sector, with annual growth projected at 7% and more than 300,000 new jobs to be created over the next decade. By 2040, the university aims to graduate between 25,000 and 30,000 students and train up to 1,500 teachers, contributing to the cultural sector’s projected SAR80 billion share of the national economy by 2030.