The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy, an initiative of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, has launched the second edition of the Dar Al Qalam Residency Programme, now entering its final phase until 16 January 2026 in Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hosted at Al-Falah Schools, the eight-week residency brings together ten Saudi and international artists working across Arabic calligraphy and its contemporary visual intersections.
Participants were selected by a specialised committee comprising Huda Abifarès, Lulwah Al-Homoud, and Hassan Radwan, based on artistic merit and alignment with the programme’s objectives. The residency foregrounds Arabic calligraphy as a living, evolving practice – one that has historically moved across paper, textiles, architecture, and ceramics, and today engages with fields such as fine art, installation, artificial intelligence, and light-based practices.
Under the curatorial direction of Abdelrahman Elshahed, with assistant curator Layal Algain, the programme offers an intensive framework of practical workshops, critique sessions, lectures, research activities, and field visits. These are complemented by meetings with experts and peers, fostering critical exchange within a historically and culturally resonant setting.
Alongside studio-based work, Dar Al Qalam includes a public programme of talks, workshops, and guided tours in Al-Balad, culminating in an open studio that invites the public and media to engage directly with the artists and their work. As the only residency of its kind dedicated exclusively to Arabic calligraphy, Dar Al Qalam contributes to the revitalisation of this art form while supporting the goals of the National Culture Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.