A creative Ramadan for the artistic soul

When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces like Hayy Jameel, Axes Café and Lift Studio among others offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)
When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces like Hayy Jameel, Axes Café and Lift Studio among others offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)
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Updated 02 April 2024
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A creative Ramadan for the artistic soul

A creative Ramadan for the artistic soul
  • Retreat to these art studios and cafes to nurture the creativity and inspiration that strikes during the month of reflection

JEDDAH: Ramadan is the month when some people are not only spiritually and religiously invigorated, but also find renewed creative energy.

Arab News prepared a list of art cafes and studios around the Kingdom that offer the space and tools to aspiring artists and creative minds to practice different art media.

Arty Cafe

Whether you want to paint, draw, sculpt, or do pottery, Arty Cafe has got you covered. The cafe provides guests with the tools, space, and hot beverages to unleash their creativity.




When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)

The cafe is located at Ahmed Alattas Street, Al-Zahra district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @arty.cafe

The Art Cafe

Enjoy your cup of coffee surrounded by art pieces while making your own at this cafe. With its black and white modern interior which looks like a new canvas waiting for colors, the cafe also offers paper cups for those who love a challenge for drawing and painting.

It is located at Jeddah Park by Cenomi, Aziziyah district, in Jeddah, Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Awwal Road in Riyadh, and at Cenomi Nakheel Mall in Dammam.




When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)

Instagram: @artcafe_ksa

Cafe Ceramique

Cafe Ceramique is the perfect place for children to practice their creativity and engage with peers while parents can sit back with a cup of a coffee. The cafe also offers birthday party services.

It is located at Al-Makan Mall, Al-Malqa district in Riyadh.

Instagram: @cafeceramiquesa

Beehive Art

This artist hub cafe is one big umbrella for many things including a cafe, artists’ creative space, meeting center, and training hall. Beehive Art also provides workshops for painting, sculpting, mosaic, and pottery.

It is located in Al-Masiaf neighborhood in Riyadh.

Instagram: @beehive_arts

Axes Coffee

A special coffee is made for artists at Axes Coffee. With its modern-classic interior and eye-catching masterpieces displayed on the walls, the cafe serves as an inspiration itself.




When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)

It is located at Al-Qadisiyah Street in Al-Yasmin district in Riyadh.

Instagram: @axes_coffee

Fun & Art Culture Cafe

As the name promises, Fun & Art Culture Cafe gives visitors the chance have a good time whether alone or with friends and family. It offers a wide variety of games, like darts, pool, video games, and board games. It also includes a corner for fine arts that allows creative minds to color the world and a small stage for musicians to enchant visitors with their melodies.

It is located in Auto Moto Complex in Alkhobar.

Instagram: @fun_and_art_culture_cafe

Art Studios:

Hayy Jameel

For culture lovers, foodies, art and film enthusiasts, and the curious at heart, Hayy Jameel offers entertaining artistic, film, and food activities. Equipped with an art space, a cinema hall, food stalls, and more, Hayy promises visitors a good time in the creativity-boosting neighborhood.




When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)

It is located on Arwa bint Abdulmuttalib Street, Al-Mohammadiyah district, Jeddah.

Instagram: @hayyjameel

Saudi Center for Fine Arts

The first fine arts center founded in the Kingdom, this center trains aspiring artists of all ages to master the painting style they are interested in.

It is located on Rahmat Al-Islam Street in Al-Andalus district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @saudiartscenter

Art Edge Center

Art Edge Center is a multi-media art center that provides any type of craft that comes to mind, including carving on glass, crocheting, marbling, dada art, manga, pottery, portrait, embroidery, resin, dotting sculpting, and more. The center welcomes people of all ages to the art sessions provided.

It is located on Prince Naif Road, Al-Firdous district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @artedgecenter

Global Art

This is a school where children can establish themselves as young artists and sharpen their skills. The school is part of a chain of international art centers for children to practice their creativity.

It is located in Al-Mohammadiyah District in Jeddah.

Instagram: @globalart_moh 

Art Vision

Portraits, animation, painting on various surfaces, and jewelry workshops are all provided by this art studio for adults and youngsters. The center includes a gallery for artists to display their masterpieces to visitors.

It is located on Abdullah Al-Anqari Road, Al-Zahra district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @art_vision11

Modern Art Center

New experiences are waiting for individuals and groups to try at Modern Art Center. People can attend art sessions individually or make a reservation for a creative party with friends and family. The art sessions available are perfume and candle making, painting on canvas, bags, cups, or mirrors, and carving on clay.

It is located on Prince Saud Al-Faisal Street, Al-Rawdah district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @modernartcenter

Art Space Center

Every week, this art center offers a new painting workshop for enthusiasts, and each workshop introduces participants to a new art school and style. The center also offers workshops for children aged from 5 to 13.

It is located on Alqamah Ibn Al-Ghafwa Street, Al-Zahra district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @artspacecenter

Artistic Touch

Specializing in pottery and clay works, this studio helps people take the first step into the world of pottery and become professional potters. The studio also conducts workshops for aspiring potters, along with painting sessions on canvas and ceramics.

It is located in Alyusr Center in Al-Nahda district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @artistic.touch.jed

Cube Art

Enjoy a party in a new style filled with creativity at Cube Art. Choose the activity of your liking, whether it is painting, candle making, decorating mirrors, sculpting, pottery, farming, or tie-dye, and have a great time with your friends.




When contemplation has inspired creativity or you want a good time with loved ones, cafes and spaces offer artistic workshops and retreats for various ages. (Supplied)

The art studio is located on Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Street, Al-Rawdah district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @cubeart.sa

Elements Studio

From cutting, kneading, shaping, sanding, coloring, and glazing the clay, Elements Studio’s instructors will make sure you thoroughly follow the tips and tricks to each step. There are other art media available at the studio, such as painting and candle making.

The studio is located on Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Street, Al-Khalidiya district in Jeddah.

Instagram: @elements.ceramic

Lift Studio & Space

A gallery, studio, and an art space all in one place serving as a hub for traditional artists of all media, digital artists, fashion designers, and modern sculptors. With its white interior, this studio encourages artists to add lively colors to its space.

It is located in Al-Mathar Ash Shamali district in Riyadh.

Instagram: @lift.ksa

 

 


KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan

KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan
Updated 02 December 2024
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KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan

KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed hundreds of vouchers across Lebanon to those most in need to buy winter clothing, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
KSrelief gave out 455 vouchers in Miniyeh district, and 420 in the Beirut and Akkar governorates, to orphans and people with special needs. The vouchers enable people to buy winter clothing from approved stores.
The agency also distributed 164 shelter bags in Afghanistan, benefiting 984 people as part of a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan and those affected by this year’s floods.


Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo

Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo

Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
  • Organization’s secretary-general: Israel making life for Palestinians ‘impossible’
  • International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People organized by UN since 1977

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the Arab League, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Matar, attended an event marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at the organization’s headquarters in Cairo on Sunday. 

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, also attended, as did Saeed Abu Ali, an assistant on the Palestinian issue to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, among other Arab ministers and officials. 

They confirmed full solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle to achieve their legitimate rights of freedom and independence, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

Aboul Gheit said Israeli actions in the Occupied Territories aim “at ending the Palestinian presence, liquidating the project of the Palestinian state, and forced displacement, by making the life of Palestinian society ... impossible.” 

The Arab League honored UNRWA during a ceremony for its vital work in delivering aid and securing shelter for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has been organized by the UN since 1977.

Events worldwide, including at the UN headquarters in New York, are planned yearly on Nov. 29. 


Right on track: Riyadh Metro commuters on board with excitement

The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1. (AN photo)
The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1. (AN photo)
Updated 01 December 2024
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Right on track: Riyadh Metro commuters on board with excitement

The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1. (AN photo)
  • Arab News speaks to commuters at King Abdullah Financial District Station

RIYADH: The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1.

Stations were buzzing with excitement across the blue, yellow, and purple lines as commuters celebrated the opening of a project which was 12 years in the making. 

At the King Abdullah Financial District Station, which connects all three lines, Saudis, residents, and tourists spoke to Arab News about their eagerness to try out the city’s new mode of transportation.

Khalid Alohari, who was en route to visit his grandmother, told Arab News: “I live in the north, near to the KAFD Station, and my grandma is in the far east, so going by car was always a hassle. Now the metro will make visiting her so much easier. The experience is just phenomenal. I’ve been waiting for this.”

Medical student Khalid Alohari. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

As a medical student at King Saud University, he was eligible for a 50 percent discount on all fares. He plans to use the metro system regularly to attend classes.

He added: “A month (of) using public transport, the metro, the buses, the supplementary cars, for just SR70 ($18) for a student, it’s just something we didn’t imagine could happen. I have a station close to my home. I’m going to take it to the university, and use it for the commute.

“As a medical student, I can use the 30-40 minutes of the commute to study, and it will also have a positive impact on my grades. It’s a win-win for everyone basically.”

He said that the metro will play a crucial role in reducing the growing traffic problem in Saudi Arabia, while also making transportation a greener experience as the system runs primarily on electrical energy rather than oil combustion.

Tourists Greg and Emma Turra were visiting Riyadh from Australia. Unsure how to spend their last day in the city, they decided to hop on the train to see where it took them. They were surprised to learn that the special day was the first they could have accessed the mass transit system.

Greg told Arab News: “We were just looking at a bit of time to waste on our last six hours, and what better way than doing this? It’s not every day you ride a train on its opening day.”

Tourist Greg Turra. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

They started their journey from Alinma Bank Station on the blue line and made it to KAFD.

Emma said: “The first thing we saw was that it was brand new, modern, futuristic, and the architectural brilliance of it, really, is quite special.

“Everyone was so excited to be traveling on it — we couldn’t believe that. That’s how we realized that it was obviously the first day.”

Tourist Emma Turra. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

She added that the system could be an attraction for tourists as the city’s traffic has been a well-known problem for tourists.

She added: “Before I came to Riyadh I was told the traffic was a nightmare. And when we arrived, we took close to two hours to get to our hotel. This line goes to the airport so that might be another option for people.”

Ameera Alrumaih, a student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, told Arab News: “I've been thinking about this project for forever.

Ameera Alrumaih, a student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

“I’ve been seeing it being built near our house. Every outing we have, I always see the metro. I’ve been excited for forever to try it.”

Alrumaih and her friend hopped on the train from the university to grab breakfast at KAFD, and headed back to continue their classes.

Alrumaih said: “We traveled from our university to KAFD in less than 10 minutes, which is so much easier, especially for me. I think I would use it. I live in the east so from east to east I’ll still use my car, but from east to north I think I’ll use the metro.

“I’ve tried the metro in Istanbul and London. I think (in Riyadh) it is much clearer, much nicer and well-lit.”

Osama Alharbi. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)

Commuter Osama Alharbi arrived at KAFD Station from Khurais Road with a sense of pride, and said: “It was so easy to come here. It’s around 15 or 20 minutes around this time but if you take a car from my house to KAFD, maybe an hour.

“When I came to the train station the support was so amazing. The (station managers and assistants) came up to the door to bring me to the ticket (machine) and tell me about the prices.”

The only issue he noted was that there was no clear direction between the standard and first-class sections so travelers could easily hop in any of the cars.


Saudi crown prince arrives in UAE on private visit

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeted by UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival in the country.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeted by UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival in the country.
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi crown prince arrives in UAE on private visit

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeted by UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival in the country.
  • Prince Mohammed was greeted by the UAE’s president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the UAE on Sunday on a private visit, Saudi Press Agency reported.  

He was greeted by the country’s president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on arrival.

Earlier on Sunday, the crown prince participated in a Gulf Cooperation Council summit held in Kuwait.


Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh

Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh

Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
  • Talks focus on regional and international affairs and ways to strengthen the relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa

RIYADH: Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats held a round of political consultations and talks in the ministry of foreign affairs’ official diwan in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss cooperation in various fields. 

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji chaired the meeting with the Ethiopian delegation led by Mesganu Arga Moach, the state minister of foreign affairs at the foreign ministry in Addis Ababa, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The two sides discussed the latest developments in regional and international affairs, ways to strengthen cooperation, and the friendly relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa. 

In August, the two countries established the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council to strengthen economic ties and enhance trade and investment opportunities for the period 2024 to 2028 term. 

The meeting on Sunday was attended by Fahad Alhumaydani, the Saudi ambassador to Ethiopia; the director of the general department of expatriate affairs at the foreign ministry, Mohammed Al-Shammari; and the Ethiopian ambassador