Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first hub dedicated to new media art and digital art in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced the details for its inaugural Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency, an immersive residency program taking place over three months from February through April 2025.
The residency offers artists and scholars established in the fields of new media and digital art an intensive and comprehensively resourced opportunity to develop and showcase their work, build connections with like-minded practitioners across disciplines, and secure future professional engagements.
Located in Diriyah, a heritage city neighboring the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, DAF was developed by the Saudi Museums Commission and is billed as a haven for the advancement of interdisciplinary creative practice at the intersection of art, science, and technology. It is set to open to the public on Nov. 26, 2024.
“The Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency represents Saudi Arabia’s commitment to developing the country’s cultural ecosystem, and transforming Riyadh into a global hub for new media and digital art,” says Mona Khazindar, Advisor to the Ministry of Culture. “Through these efforts, we are establishing the Kingdom as a hub of cultural exchange, pioneering new forms of expression in the heart of one of our most cherished historic districts.”
Overlooking the historic Diriyah farms, DAF’s facilities cut an impressive figure that echoes its function as creative bridge between past and present. The 6,550-square-metre, state-of-the-art school, laboratory, and exhibition space was designed by Italian architectural firm Schiattarella Associati, and is constructed of locally sourced stone and earth to integrate with the surrounding landscape and the mud-brick buildings of the old city.
DAF is part of a long-term urban revitalization of Diriyah, a historic city dating back to the 15th century. Established as the capital of the first Saudi state in 1727, Diriyah was a political and agricultural hub for the region until it was overtaken by the Ottoman Empire in 1818.
After its abandonment, the majority of Diriyah’s former residents resettled in Riyadh, which today is a veritable metropolis. In recent decades, the capital has transformed into a global hub, shaped by rapid advancements in technology, infrastructure, and forward-looking cultural initiatives.
But even as Riyadh’s geographic boundary has swelled to encompass Diriyah, the two cities remain distinct entities. Residents began returning to Diriyah in the mid-20th century, and the Saudi government bought the site in 1982, effectively planting the seeds for its gradual revitalization. Diriyah was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010, and in addition to being the seat of its own governorate, the city has become a burgeoning tourist hotbed for its historical landmarks, new museums, and commercial attractions.
Certainly, DAF’s unique context offers contrasts that invite deeper reflection. Diriyah, an agricultural oasis set within the desert, resonates with DAF’s role as a source of technological and creative innovation. This duality — one ancient city rooted in heritage, the other a symbol of modernity — prompts contemplation on how each has nurtured cultural and economic growth for its people. It also highlights the complex environmental dynamics intertwined with societal progress in both past and present. These themes of renewal and sustenance are core to DAF’s artistic mission and to the Mazra’ah Residency. The program’s name comes from the Arabic word for “farm” — a nod to the preserved farms and other archeological sites that checker the landscape — while the program’s 2025 theme, “High-Resolution Dreams of Sand,” challenges participants to reflect on the ways that nature and technology intertwine with humanity to sustain and enrich life.
The Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency offers a dedicated retreat for artists and scholars, with Diriyah Art Futures as an inspiring oasis for creation and study. Participants will have access to state-of-the-art new media studios and facilities, including comfortable living quarters, workspaces, and specialised labs for fabrication, recording, and VR/AR production. The residency also includes a lecture and performance space, a library, and a new media arts archive, along with a production budget to support each resident’s work.
Throughout the program, residents will receive tailored support and have opportunities to connect with a network of fellow artists and scholars. Work produced during the residency will be showcased in exhibitions and scholarly publications, while DAF’s regional and international partnerships provide pathways for ongoing creative and academic exploration.
The residency follows distinct paths for artists and scholars, respectively. Artists working in sound and visual media, as well as computational, biological, scientific, and technology-related methodologies, are encouraged to apply. The scholar track is geared toward writers, academics, and theorists in the subjects of new media and digital art and technology and culture.
Applicants for both tracks should submit a proposal for a specific project to be completed during the residency connected to the “High-Resolution Dreams of Sand” theme. This proposal should detail the project’s conceptual framework and intended outcome, along with a production timeline and budget that aligns with that outcome, and a CV or portfolio of previous work. Applications are due on Jan. 20, 2025.
Artists and scholars from around the world are welcome to apply to the Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency. Individuals representing perspectives from the Middle East, North Africa, and the global south are particularly encouraged to participate.
“This dynamic residency offers established artists and scholars an unparalleled opportunity to develop new creative practices and contribute to global scholarly discussions on new media art through a regional perspective,” says Dr. Haytham Nawar, Director at DAF. “This is where the impossible comes to life.”
Interested artists and scholars can learn more about the residency and apply at daf.moc.gov.sa/en/. For more, follow Diriyah Art Futures on X (@DAFmoc) and Instagram @DAFmoc.
