One of the most sophisticated and inspirational venues in Saudi Arabia just wrapped up the 3rd edition of “Al-Sharqiya Gets Creative”.
For those who don’t know, “Al-Sharqiya Gets Creative” is an event whose objective is to foster the creative talent locally and have them inspire people and get inspired, all in hopes of creating an imaginative ripple effect into the community.
For this year, the turn out was quite impressive with 250 participants, 16 strategic partners, which include businesses, municipalities, universities, and institutes, 300 creative participants and 200 teachers.
The management at Ithra further explained the importance of creating such events in Saudi Arabia, stating, “Al-Sharqiyah Gets Creative reflects a broader focus on talent, creativity and innovation to drive economic diversity and prosperity in Saudi Arabia. The initiative is inspired by Tanween, which has welcomed more than 200,000 visitors and more than 75,000 program participants since its inception in 2018.”
The personalities in attendance were quite the rage as well, including prominent local names such as Princess Nourah Al Faisal, an entrepreneur and Saudi design advocate. Others were graffiti artist Carlos Mare, Reebok cofounder Joe Foster, and serial brand collaborator designer Rami Afifi.
Fashion took a place at center stage at the event with a revel of 45 Saudi Arabian brands that depicted the evolution of Saudi attire throughout the ages. Main themes also included architecture, technology and the environment.
As climate change is one of the most pressing topics all over the world, the event took the opportunity to shed some light and raise awareness. There was a The Weave Not Waste Wall, which served as a reminder of recyclable textiles, and encouraged visitors to educated themselves on textile waste.
Other happenings included The Tanween Challenges Exhibition and the Grad Expo which gave visitors a glimpse of the next era of designers that will dominate both regionally and internationally.
Ithra, which means enrichment in Arabic, was built to contribute to the Kingdom’s standing as a cultural and artistic hub. It is known to be the main destination for talent development in the latter sense, serving as a “a window to global experiences, celebrating human potential and empowering creativity.”
