Saudi Arabia & France Chart a Map of Cultural Collaboration

The cultural collaboration between Saudi Arabia and France is significantly expanding, leading to a comprehensive framework of partnerships and executive programmes across various domains, including heritage, museums, cinema, music, arts, and training.

This collaboration is rooted in the cultural relations that date back to 1926 and has accelerated in recent years, driven by the cultural transformation initiatives taking place in Saudi Arabia as part of the “Saudi Vision 2030” plan.

Moreover, the agreements signed between cultural institutions in both countries indicate a transition towards specialised and sustainable institutional projects. These projects emphasise capacity building, talent development, heritage preservation, museum development, and support for the film and cultural creative industries.

New Executive Programme

In a recent development, Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and French Minister Rachida Dati signed an executive programme for cultural cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the French Ministry of Culture’s Grand Palais – National Museums Cooperation (RMN). The signing occurred at the Palace of Versailles during the “Masterpieces of Orchestra” concert in Paris, aimed at enhancing cultural collaboration between Saudi Arabia and France.

Meanwhile, the meeting focused on Saudi-French cultural relations, covering sectors such as music, film, heritage, museums, fashion, libraries, theatre, and visual arts. Besides, it explored opportunities for joint projects between cultural institutions. It discussed the activation of an executive programme between the Saudi Film Commission and the French National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) to enhance film-industry education, support the exchange of expertise, and develop specialised skills in the film sector.

A Major Turning Point in 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron’s December 2024 visit to Saudi Arabia culminated in the signing of nine executive programmes designed to enhance cultural cooperation, focusing on heritage, museums, training, and professional development. The event took place in the historic Al-Turaif district in Diriyah, signifying a pivotal advancement in relations between cultural institutions of the two nations.

These programmes underscore specialised fields such as heritage site management, archaeological research, and museum development, indicating a shift toward establishing enduring institutional partnerships instead of relying only on temporary initiatives.

Three Initiatives to Preserve Heritage

The Saudi Heritage Commission inked three executive programmes with specialised French organisations in the field of heritage:

The first, the collaboration with the French National Archaeological Centre (CMN), focuses on enhancing visitor experiences at heritage sites through expertise exchange, evaluation of archaeological and heritage sites, and sharing insights on the effectiveness of monitoring processes.

The second programme, with the Operation of Cultural and Heritage Assets and Projects (OPPIC), aims to develop a comprehensive capacity-building initiative, offering specialised support services, utilising architectural expertise in cultural projects, training artisans in craft restoration, and assessing royal palaces.

The third programme, in collaboration with the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), focuses on assessing archaeological sites and disseminating scientific research from excavations.

These programmes aid the Heritage Commission in documenting and protecting cultural heritage sites within the Kingdom, enhancing operational mechanisms, and leveraging specialised French expertise in archaeology and historical site management.

Four Initiatives for Museums

With four executive initiatives signed by the Museums Authority with French institutions, the museum industry is another area of concentration for the relationship:

The first programme entails cooperation in the area of educational support with the French National School of Industrial Design (ENSCI). In the second programme, temporary exhibitions are exchanged, and discussions for the running of cultural businesses are offered with the Grand Palais (RMN).

The third programme, in collaboration with the French National Heritage Institute (INP), offers short training courses and specialised programmes for museum professionals.

The fourth programme, partnering with the National School of Photography (ENSP), emphasises technical consultations, expertise exchange, and the establishment of photography training initiatives for professionals and students.

The programmes stress the development of local expertise in Saudi Arabia by fostering knowledge transfer and enhancing the operational, artistic, and educational dimensions of museum institutions.

Cinema: Collaboration Includes Education

The partnership has grown to encompass Saudi Arabia’s expanding film industry through collaboration between the Saudi Film Commission and the French National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC). This executive programme aims to develop film education methods, enhancing both professional and intellectual aspects of cinematic collaboration and leveraging French expertise in training, aligning with the Kingdom’s efforts to build a local film industry.

By expanding the cooperation to include music, visual arts, theatre, performing arts, fashion, and libraries, this extension highlights their increasing importance in the cultural ties between Riyadh and Paris.

Al-Ula: A Cross-Cultural Collaboration

Al-Ula is a key example of Saudi-French cooperation, showcasing collaboration in heritage, culture, and tourism. The project utilises French expertise in heritage preservation to enhance cultural and tourist sites while protecting the region’s unique historical and archaeological significance. This initiative seeks to transform Al-Ula into a major global cultural and tourist destination.

Likewise, the partnership in AlUla focuses on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration among institutions and experts, serving as a model for using international cultural relations in long-term development projects.

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The French Institute Increases Institutional Visibility

The French Institute’s founding in the Kingdom in 2025 gave the two nations’ cultural and educational ties a new institutional dimension. This demonstrates France’s dedication to enhancing the coherence of cultural activity in Saudi Arabia and establishing a long-term collaboration, which is in line with the priorities set by the Kingdom’s continuous cultural changes.

In addition to emerging fields like esports, the scope of collaboration includes cultural creativity, heritage protection, and the cultural and creative industries. The collaboration involves scientific research, education, student exchange, and the teaching and spread of the French language, along with the spread of culture in the conventional sense. This increases communication between institutions and professionals in both nations and fortifies the relationship’s intellectual component.

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From Trade to Institutional Collaboration

Following decades of cultural ties, recent programmes indicate a shift in Saudi-French collaboration from cultural exchange to institutional alliances tied to specific projects. As Saudi Arabia focuses on a sustainable cultural sector and creative industries under Vision 2030, culture has become a key component of Saudi-French relations, reflected in an increasing number of agreements in heritage, museums, film, training, and the arts.

Furthermore, this convergence of Saudi cultural transformation and French expertise enhances their partnership by enabling the development of joint projects that transcend mere cultural exchange. In short, these initiatives focus on heritage preservation, knowledge creation, skills development, institutional growth, and the establishment of effective cultural and creative industries.

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