Further details about a new museum to open in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, were revealed by Arts AlUla, a project of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). Plans for the Lina Ghotmeh–designed institution, a partnership between the RCU and the Centre Pompidou, were first announced in 2023. The new information was reported by the Art Newspaper, among other outlets.
Set in the AlUla Oasis, the planned museum is part of RCU’s development of the historic region of Al-Ula (now officially AlUla), home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra. Other arts initiatives include Wadi AlFann, which will feature permanent outdoor works by Agnes Denes, Manal Al-Dowayan, Michael Heizer, Ahmed Mater, and James Turrell; the AlUla Arts Fesival, now in its fifth year; and the AlJadidah Arts District, a walkable area with galleries, cafes and workshops.
The update was delivered at the opening of “Arduna,” a contemporary art exhibition co-curated by teams from the future museum, which will be called the AlUla Contemporary Art Museum, and the Centre Pompidou. Featuring over 80 works by regional and international artists, including commissioned pieces, the show offers a foretaste of the institution’s focus.
“The three pillars for this institution—and for AlUla—are heritage, the environment and the landscape, and community,” Candida Pestana, the museum’s inaugural director, told the Art Newspaper. “We want the artists to work with the community, with understanding the land, and with understanding where we are in AlUla.” According to Pestana, the museum’s collecting strategy will likewise prioritize deep engagement though acquiring full bodies of work by individual artists.
Under the terms of their original agreement, the Pompidou will continue to work with the AlUla Contemporary on publishing, curating, and research. No date has yet been announced for the museum’s opening.
