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LONDON: The Saudi Museums Commission marked the graduation of a new cohort from its international training program at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on Friday, part of its drive to staff the Kingdom’s museums with homegrown professionals trained to global standards.

The commission’s mandate is to develop and operate flagship museums that celebrate Saudi heritage and expand cultural participation nationwide.

“This is about Saudi human capability,” said Taghreed Al-Saraj, the commission’s general manager for education and talent development.

“We are developing museums in ��������, and we need to operate them, and who better to do that than Saudis themselves? We recognize this is a new sector, but we are capable of tackling it. Now we need to train, reskill, and give people the knowledge they need to operate these museums.”

Al-Saraj said the international program had run in Egypt, Italy, and the UK, culminating at the V&A in London.

“All of the Saudi participants — more than 150 across the different cities — have gained expertise and international best practices in the museum field, which they are now bringing back to ��������,” she said. “This program will feed into all of our museums, public and private, that will open by 2030.”

Participants received practitioner-led training at the V&A, with direct access to curators, conservators, and learning teams, using live projects and case studies rather than classroom theory — an approach designed to translate quickly into day-to-day practice in Saudi institutions.

“This is a very special day,” said Ian Ellard, head of adult learning and training at the V&A.

“It’s the last day of a very tough four weeks. They’ve worked incredibly hard and learned an incredible amount. These Saudi professionals are building a cultural center for their families and future generations, and this is certainly not the end of the relationship between the Museums Commission and the V&A.”

The graduation aligns with Vision 2030’s Human Capability Development Program, which aims to equip citizens with skills to compete and contribute across sectors, including culture and heritage. The commission’s strategy is to turn that national commitment into museum-ready talent, deploying it into new institutions opening across the country.

Ellard highlighted the strong momentum behind the partnership, saying: “We’ve seen an incredible level of engagement. The ambition the commission and the Kingdom have for the future of the culture sector is infectious — you can feel it in the room.”

Al-Saraj framed the outcome in practical terms: trained Saudis moving into roles that strengthen documentation and provenance, build conservation workflows, and deliver programs connecting collections with local audiences.

The V&A — a family of museums with a national collection of over 2.8 million objects spanning 5,000 years — provided the scale and operational insight that shaped the cohort’s final weeks before their return to ��������.

As the ceremony ended, the message from both sides was clear: export the methods, localize the delivery, and build the museum workforce the Kingdom needs.

DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture has announced the beginning of Ithra Winter, coinciding with Khobar Season.

From Oct. 29 to April 2026, families and friends can come together in warm, inspiring atmospheres filled with art, music and live performances.

The season features a light and 1,000 drone show, interactive workshops, live music, family activities, a winter souq and plenty of food.

Khobar Season and Ithra Winter will kick off with performances at Ithra Theater by two of ��������’s promising young talents: Abdulaziz Al-Ma’na and Abdullah Al-Manea, led by Maestro Wissam Khassaf.

Together, they will present a musical experience that embodies the spirit of the season and reflects the artistic identity and taste of the region.

The outdoor spaces at Ithra will host a diverse musical program, including free performances by Saad Aloud, interactive live shows with Saudi Arwa and the Choralla band.

Art lovers can also attend the opening of a brand new exhibition on Oct. 30, which will bring together 28 Saudi artists exploring the theme of “home” through 35 works of art.

Ithra continues to cement its position as a cultural hub in the Eastern Province, combining local and global experiences.

Programs include Tanween, Ithra’s flagship program starting on Nov. 17, as well as the celebration of the 10th edition of the Iqra’ Competition, and the upcoming Ithra Cultural Days (Spain), which will showcase Spanish culture through music, arts, cinema and food, promoting cultural exchange between �������� and Spain, and following on from the success of the Japanese cultural event earlier this year.

While entry to the Ithra building is always free, as are most events, some performances and areas require tickets, which can be purchased on-site. For a full schedule of activities and times, visit the Ithra website or follow its social media accounts.