Diryah Art Futures Reveals Cohort for Mazra'ah Media Arts Residency
Mar 25, 2025
Diriyah Art Futures has launched the first edition of the Mazra'ah Media Arts Residency, set to take place from April to July 2025, with an additional three-month session planned for autumn. The organisation has just announced the first cohort of artists and scholars selected for the programme.
The inaugural session will feature Dr. Stanza (UK), Harshit Agrawal (India), Arwa Yahya Alneami (Saudi Arabia), Reem Alnasser (Saudi Arabia), Reem Alfagih (Saudi Arabia), Mizuho Yamazaki (Japan), and Anett Holszheid (Germany). These artists and scholars will explore themes under the residency's focus, 'High Resolution Dreams of Sand', examining the intersection of technology with natural and built environments.
Participants will receive support in the form of production budgets, access to labs and studios, and a dedicated production team. The programme will culminate in public exhibitions and engagement initiatives, offering insight into the residents' research and creative processes.
Launched last year in partnership with Diriyah Co. and developed by the Saudi Museums Commission, Diriyah Art Futures aims to enhance Saudi Arabia's new media and digital art scene through integrating regional perspectives into the global conversation on art, technology, and innovation.
Diriyah Art Futures' first exhibition, 'Art Must Be Artificial: Perspectives of AI in the Visual Arts', marks its commitment to exploring the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and creative expression.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mid East Info
2 hours ago
- Mid East Info
Cloudera and Aramco Plan to Collaborate on AI-driven Digital Innovation in Saudi Arabia - Middle East Business News and Information
Collaboration aims to enhance data-driven innovation, upskill Saudi talent, and advance AI and data research. Saudi Arabia, July 28th, 2025: Cloudera, a leading hybrid platform for data, analytics, and AI, and Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU outlines plans for joint efforts to leverage Cloudera's platform and Aramco's industry expertise to build AI-powered solutions and applications that support the growth of the digital oil and gas sector in Saudi Arabia. Amid the rapid evolution of technology, this proposed collaboration aims to see both parties work together to further localize cutting-edge technologies, create new opportunities, and drive sustainable growth in the country. Upskilling Saudi talent in data and AI The parties plan to develop and upskill Saudi local talent in programs tailored to Saudi Arabia's workforce needs, with a focus on upskilling Saudi talent in data engineering, data science, and analytics. Ahmad Issa, Regional Vice President of the Middle East for Cloudera, said : 'In seeking to collaborate with Aramco, our goal is to empower local professionals with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in a data-driven economy. By investing in human capital, we're supporting individual careers while contributing to the broader ecosystem of innovation and growth in Saudi Arabia.' This focus on skills development aligns with the joint vision of making modern data and analytics accessible and fostering an empowered workforce ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Unlocking business value through data-driven solutions Under the proposed collaboration, Cloudera and Aramco plan to jointly develop and implement data-driven solutions that leverage Cloudera's platform to further enhance Aramco's operational efficiency and competitiveness. By combining their expertise, the two companies aim to work together to unlock new insights and drive business value through advanced data management, security, and analytics capabilities. Issa continued: 'By seeking to collaborate with Aramco, we intend to blend its industry expertise with our innovative data solutions to drive meaningful impact for Saudi Arabia's digital transformation. 'We're excited about the opportunity to contribute to Saudi Arabia's digital economy, working with world-class organizations like Aramco to make smarter, data-driven decisions to stay ahead in today's fast-paced world.' Driving R&D innovation in AI and big data Under the MoU, the parties have agreed to explore collaborative research and development initiatives. Cloudera and Aramco also plan to explore emerging trends and technologies in big data, AI, and data science. By pooling resources and expertise, the parties are aiming to fuel innovation that drives AI-powered solutions and applications that support the growth of the digital oil and gas sector in Saudi Arabia. Cloudera's hybrid data-cloud solutions offer a robust foundation for securely managing data across environments while maintaining unified governance and real-time analytics capabilities. This aligns with Aramco's forward-looking vision in the data and AI field, and the two parties are planning to collaborate and drive innovation in the rapidly evolving global landscape. Issa concluded: 'As we are seeking to collaborate with Aramco, we reaffirm our commitment to helping enterprises accelerate their AI aspirations in a secure and responsible way. Together, we plan to unlock the true potential of data and support Saudi Arabia's digital economy.' Read the full press release here.
CairoScene
3 hours ago
- CairoScene
Saudi Startup Sawt Raises $1 Million to Expand AI Voice Support
With the fresh capital, Sawt plans to expand its team, scale its infrastructure, and refine its voice AI models to handle millions of interactions efficiently. Jul 28, 2025 Saudi-based startup Sawt has raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by STV and T2. The company is developing Arabic-native voice AI to automate customer service functions including sales, bookings, and support, offering a 24/7 alternative to traditional call centres. With the fresh capital, Sawt plans to expand its team, scale its infrastructure, and refine its voice AI models to handle millions of interactions efficiently. The platform is designed to reduce wait times, lower costs, and improve the customer service experience by automating responses to common queries and requests. Sawt's technology is developed entirely in Saudi Arabia, enabling it to meet enterprise-level standards for privacy and data security. The company is targeting the growing GCC market for AI call centre automation, estimated to be worth between $800 million and $1.2 billion.
CairoScene
a day ago
- CairoScene
Saudi Arabia Tops MENA Startup Funding with $1.34bn in H1 2025
Saudi Arabia Tops MENA Startup Funding with $1.34bn in H1 2025 Saudi Arabia leads MENA startup funding in H1 2025, with fintech and debt deals driving a regional total of $2.1 billion across 334 transactions. Saudi Arabia emerged as the leading destination for startup funding in the Middle East and North Africa during the first half of 2025, raising $1.34 billion and accounting for 64% of the region's total capital. This figure represented a 342% year-on-year increase, driven by sovereign wealth contributions, government initiatives, and rising domestic venture activity. The fintech sector dominated Saudi deal flow, attracting $969 million across 20 transactions, followed by construction technology with $48 million and property technology with $39 million. Local investors including STV, Wa'ed Ventures, and Raed Ventures were most active, with international involvement such as JPMorgan's participation in a debt round for fintech firm Lendo. Across the region, total startup funding reached $2.1 billion from 334 transactions, marking a 134% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Of this amount, $930 million—about 44%—came through debt financing, while equity funding accounted for 53%. In the second quarter alone, $583.4 million was raised across 149 deals, surpassing Q2 2024 figures despite a funding slowdown in June. Fintech remained the most funded sector regionally in Q2, securing $170 million, followed by property tech with $77 million and travel tech with $40 million. The UAE recorded $541 million across 114 deals, reflecting an 18% annual increase. Its fintech startups raised $265.8 million, while insurance tech secured $55 million, and both Web3 and AI startups raised $44.7 million each. Debt represented 19% of UAE deal volume, suggesting a stronger equity-driven environment compared to other countries. Eight female-led UAE startups raised $17.6 million, with mixed-gender teams accounting for $91.7 million. In Egypt, startup funding reached $179 million across 52 deals, up 106% year-on-year despite persistent economic challenges. Leading sectors included fintech with $85.3 million, property tech with $75 million, and e-commerce with $24.8 million. Startups founded by women raised $425,000, while those led by mixed-gender teams secured $23 million.
