Bridges art event narrows gap in understanding between KSA and US

DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia: Arts events designed to build relations between Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world are running to coincide with the US visit by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The events have been organized by Bridges, a cultural initiative presented by King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, known as Ithra, based in Dhahran in the Kingdom's Eastern Province.
The first, which began on Wednesday, is a two-day exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum titled the “Kingdom and Culture: A series of Saudi Arabian experiences.”
In Los Angeles next week, the Linwood Dunn Theater will host a series of art and film events, including the “Kingdom of Colors” photography exhibition.
It will coincide with the next leg of the crown prince’s US tour, which so far has included Washington, New York and Boston.
Along with political and financial meetings and deals, the visit has placed a strong emphasis on cultural and artistic ties.
The Bridges cultural initiative was established to sponsor Saudi talent as well as to strengthen relations between the Kingdom and the US with a host of cultural programs.
“Bridges is a series of creative, impactful and high-quality programs that engages a wide range of international audiences to embrace common values in order to positively shape the wider bilateral relationship and to sustain and strengthen the human ties through cultural exchanges between the Kingdom and the US,” said Abdullah Al-Rashid, the head of programs at Ithra.
The initiative first took place in
2016 in different cities around the US with Saudi artists from different fields promoting the Kingdom’s art and culture.
Al-Rashid said the Bridges program improves the Saudi-US relations, adding that most of those taking part in or visiting the events have said that their perception of Saudi culture was significantly changed by the experience.