In celebration of Sadu art and its close connection with the Kingdom’s heritage, Fenaa Alawwal in cooperation with the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts launched on March 12, 2023 the Sadu Workshops consisting of a series of specialized workshops in Sadu weaving that aim to spread knowledge about the techniques and skills of this traditional art and to promote creative talents.
The Ministry of Culture inaugurated Fenaa Alawwal (FAA) in December 2022. Located in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, FAA is a multidisciplinary cultural center that brings together a diverse community of thinkers, creatives, and talents. The Center offers a wide array of cultural programming ranging from art exhibitions to panels and workshops, in addition to providing a space for cross-cultural exchange and dialogue.
For its part, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (TRITA) seeks to celebrate Saudi national identity through preserving, promoting, and raising awareness of traditional arts locally and internationally. TRITA encourages and trains emerging talents and offers educational programs in traditional arts.
As part of the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to celebrate the cultural elements that shape Saudi identity, FAA partnered with TRITA to offer a series of workshops on Sadu weaving, an art that is firmly rooted in Saudi culture. Sadu weaving is a traditional creative art that has been practiced by the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula since ancient times. Today, with its various designs, patterns, and colors, it has become an important part of the cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and has contributed to inscribing the art of Sadu weaving on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2020.
The Sadu Workshops, which will take place at FAA from 12 to 23 March 2023, aim to raise the public’s awareness and understanding of this traditional craft art, strengthen its position in society as an essential element of Saudi culture and identity, and instill a sense of belonging by highlighting the cultural and artistic richness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The activity comprises 7 workshops whose content was prepared and designed by TRITA specifically for FAA. The workshops target adults and children and cover various skills and techniques associated with Sadu weaving, namely: traditional weaving, natural dying techniques, spinning natural wool, textile making, designing Sadu patterns with beads, making traditional carpets, coloring Sadu patterns.
The Sadu Workshops offer an enjoyable and rich cultural and social experience for all segments of society. They also provide a platform to showcase the cultural value of Sadu through various activities, where fun is associated with knowledge. In continuation of this program, FAA will inaugurate in April 2023 an art exhibition titled “Woven Spaces” that will shed light on the relationship between places and tangible material, showcasing textile artworks by Saudi and international artists.
