Description

The Emerging New Media Artists Programme is a supported one-year programme of theoretical engagement, creative production and technical training for emerging artists working in New Media and Digital Art. Developed in collaboration with Le Fresnoy - Studio National des Arts Contemporains, the programme offers participants access to cutting-edge technology, production facilities, and mentorship from leading international artists and scholars.

The programme is designed for artists who are 35 years or younger, at graduate or postgraduate completion stage, with experience in New Media and Digital Art. Over the course of the year, participants will explore themes such as AI, virtual and augmented reality, sound, cinema and digital archives, culminating in a final curated exhibition at DAF.

The programme begins with three-months of thematic and conceptual explorations of cutting-edge topics, presented by artists and theorists through seminars, lectures, screenings and workshops. Following this, participants will work under the mentorship of leading artists and scholars to produce new artworks using DAF’s world-class facilities, including advanced audio-visual techniques, immersive reality, coding, sensing, machine learning and spatial audio-visual environments. The final works will be exhibited at DAF as a final curated and juried outcome of the programme.

Apply by: June 16, 2025

About Diriyah Art Futures
Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) is an arts, research and education hub driven by a belief in the power of interdisciplinary creative practice at the intersection of art, science, and technology. Developed by the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia, DAF is the region’s first institution dedicated to New Media and Digital Arts. It is a space for collaboration, speculation and production by creative practitioners from across the globe, focused on research, documentation and producing new work.

Diriyah Art Futures invites participation from artists and scholars through upcoming public activities, educational programming, artistic and research residencies and grant opportunities. It aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a global centre for New Media and Digital Art, while amplifying the voice of the region in its engagement with art, science, and technology.

Set in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diriyah, DAF reflects the Ministry of Culture’s commitment to preserving the country’s unique heritage while playing a pioneering role in developing and leading new art practices that will shape the future of art and humanity.