Saudi Visual Arts Commission Delegation Reflects on Scotland Exchange
From September 22 to 27, 2025, a group of artists from the Visual Arts Commission of Saudi Arabia traveled to Scotland through Art Bridges. Their itinerary included visits to Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, the Isle of Bute, and the Rosneath Peninsula, where they interacted with 11 cultural institutions and conducted three meetings. Danya Faisal, Bayan Ashour, and Afia Bin Taleb provided valuable insights, with Faisal highlighting the public dialogue at V&A Dundee and the exhibition 'Thread Memory: Embroidery from Palestine.' Ashour introduced a new tour format at Hayy Jameel, while Bin Taleb mentioned partnerships with Dundee Contemporary Arts and Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. This initiative aimed to strengthen ties between the visual arts communities of Saudi Arabia and Scotland.
Key facts
- The Visual Arts Commission sent a delegation to Scotland through Art Bridges from September 22 to 27, 2025.
- Participants visited 11 cultural institutions and held three sector meetings across Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, the Isle of Bute, and the Rosneath Peninsula.
- Danya Faisal is community relations coordinator at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah.
- Bayan Ashour is visitor experience manager at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah.
- Afia Bin Taleb is a Jeddah-based independent cultural advisor and former director of ATHR Gallery.
- The program included conversations with Leonie Bell (V&A Dundee), Emma Nicolson (Creative Scotland), Beth Bate (Dundee Contemporary Arts), Lucy Byatt (Hospitalfield), and Tessa Giblin (Talbot Rice Gallery).
- Hayy Jameel introduced a new tour format called 'From Another Angle' as a result of the exchange.
- Art Bridges is the Visual Arts Commission's international exchange program connecting Saudi and Saudi-based artists with peers in Scotland, South Korea, Japan, and Spain.
Entities
Artists
- Danya Faisal
- Bayan Ashour
- Afia Bin Taleb
- Leonie Bell
- Tessa Giblin
- Emma Nicolson
- Beth Bate
- Lucy Byatt
- Ahaad Alamoudi
- Abdullah Alamoudi
Institutions
- Visual Arts Commission
- Art Bridges
- Hayy Jameel
- V&A Dundee
- Talbot Rice Gallery
- Dundee Contemporary Arts
- Cove Park
- Tramway
- Trongate 103
- The Burrell Collection
- Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
- Creative Scotland
- Hospitalfield
- Jupiter Artland
- ATHR Gallery
- SINDBAD Collective
- Art Jameel
Locations
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Jeddah
- Glasgow
- Dundee
- Edinburgh
- Isle of Bute
- Rosneath Peninsula
- Mount Stuart
- South Korea
- Japan
- Spain