JEDDAH — The fourth Jeddah Art Festival with over 50 cultural activities is all set for a launch on Wednesday. Head of Saudi Art Council Princess Jawahir Bint Majed said the events will last for three months. The festival, organized by the Saudi Art Council, is entitled Safar — the Arabic word for travel. The multifaceted program explores the notion of travel and movement as a vehicle for learning and growth. The theme takes its inspiration from the Arabic word for travel, which itself is rooted in the word safar — a term that is used to describe things that are revealed, or unveiled. "The festival will have guests from other Gulf countries and from all over the world. The guests of the festival are head of Bahrain Commission for Culture and Heritage May Al-Khalifah and the former French minister of culture and head of the Arab World Institute in Paris Jacque Lang," said the Princess. Lang, she added, is leading a prestigious cultural delegation consisting of directors of Tokyo Palace of Modern Art, George Pompidou Center, International City of Art and the French Institute in Paris. "The festival will showcase artwork of national and international artists. The purpose of the festival is to offer the general public a chance to appreciate art and get to know the art scene in Jeddah. Our aim is to support artists in Jeddah and offer them a national platform to display their art," said the Princess. Mohammad Hafiz, Saudi Art Council deputy head, said the council aims to invite as many people as possible to the festival. "We want to involve the general public with the art scene in Jeddah. We want to make the people of Jeddah more aware of the art scene in Jeddah and more educated about art in general," said Hafiz. Safar features artworks, creative projects and new commissions by 17 Saudi artists, many of whom are young and emerging. Over a period of six months, more than 50 events will take place featuring workshops, presentations and film screenings by a host of local, regional and international artists and creatives.
