The Royal Institute launched the program for traditional skills to be passed down to the coming generations of artists.

Bringing Saudi’s rich and varied heritage to the forefront, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (RITA) has launched a new program ‘The Apprenticeship Program’ to boost the talent of Saudi’s skilled craftsmen.

The Royal Institute launched the program for traditional skills to be passed down to the coming generations of artists wherein senior craftspeople will teach the traditional forms of Sadu weaving and mud construction.

The program aims to revive and preserve traditional arts and crafts by transferring knowledge from master artisans to a new generation.

The first phase of the initiative will focus on the Bedouin style of weaving known as Al-Sadu, and traditional mud-brick construction techniques.

The initiative was unveiled by the Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan said on Twitter. Announcing it, he wrote, “To keep it a #Living_Identity, the #Royal_Institute_of_Traditional_Arts launched the Apprenticeship Program in traditional Al-Sadu and mud construction tracks. #saudivision2030.”

Suzan Al-Yahya, the director-general of Royal Institute of Traditional Arts also took to Twitter and highlighted the initiative and wrote, “We are honoured to revive our traditional arts through the establishment and implementation of #Apprenticeship Programs over the course of 30 weeks, which depend on transferring skills and knowledge from senior artisans to apprentices through a unique relationship … while learning the craft, ensuring the experience is exchanged in its authentic form.”

Traditional arts are an integral part of any country and Saudi Arabia, too, boasts of arts comprising of calligraphy, embroidery, textile art, jewellery making and other forms like visual arts.