Tanween Festival: Saudi Arabia's Creative Hub Ithra Fosters Collaboration

The fifth edition of the Tanween festival, organized by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, took place under the theme 'Collaborate to Create.' The event featured seven workshops, five masterclasses, and 17 conferences and talks with international speakers from diverse fields, including Electronic Arts co-founder Dave Evans, Stanford design professor Bill Burnett, Reebok co-founder Joe Foster, astronaut Reeps One, green urbanist Huda Shaka, and 'air architect' Alan Parkinson. Ithra director Robert Frith emphasized that the festival aims to break the myth of innate genius and promote collective creativity. The festival's circular stage, level with the audience, symbolized horizontality and dialogue. Frith noted that Saudi Aramco, which founded Ithra, is shifting investment from fossil fuels to 'human energy.' The festival also featured legendary street artist Carlos Mare, who shared his journey through hip hop and graffiti. Frith addressed the question of a Saudi design model, citing Tim Marlow's view that there is no singular 'English design,' and encouraged Saudi creatives to express themselves freely without relying on national symbols. The event underscores Saudi Arabia's push to foster creativity amid social and political changes.