COLABS and Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation Announce Cross-Regional Arts and Culture Partnership

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- COLABS and the Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation (AAHF) have announced a partnership to develop and scale arts, culture, crafts, and heritage initiatives across Saudi Arabia.

The partnership establishes a structured framework for long-term collaboration spanning artistic production, cultural exchange, research, and public engagement. As part of this collaboration, COLABS will roll out a series of arts and culture initiatives through its Creative Collective programming, which was recently launched in the Kingdom. The first activation will be an exhibition in the coming weeks, featuring emerging artists from MENAP.

Planned initiatives under the partnership include exhibitions, artist and artisan residencies, commissions, educational programs, publications, and cross-border knowledge exchange, all delivered as part of COLABS' broader ecosystem-building efforts.

COLABS is a Riyadh headquartered regional workspace and community enablement platform operating in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, focused on supporting entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. Through its Creative Collective programming, COLABS supports emerging and established artists via residencies, open calls, exhibitions, and public programming, while commissioning new work and embedding art into civic and professional spaces.

The Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation is a Saudi Arabia–based foundation focused on human development, cultural preservation, education, and knowledge creation. Through its Arts & Culture Program, the foundation supports heritage conservation, creative education, and community engagement initiatives, including the Norah Al-Mousa House for Culture and Creative Arts and the Al-Ahsa Academy of Crafts.

Joint programs between AAHF and COLABS will be designed to strengthen artistic ecosystems, preserve cultural heritage, and expand public participation in the arts across both regions.

"Bringing our arts and culture programming to Saudi Arabia is a natural extension of how we think about building ecosystems, not just workspaces," said Omar Shah, CEO of COLABS. "Creativity, culture, and entrepreneurship thrive together. Partnering with Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation allows us to ground this work locally while fostering meaningful cross-regional exchange across the region."

For his part, Mr. Abdulmohsen Al-Sultan, CEO of the Foundation, commented: "At the Abdulmonem Al-Rashed Humanitarian Foundation, we take pride in this partnership, which aligns with our objectives of supporting talent and empowering creatives. We believe that art serves as a bridge between cultures, and through our collaboration with 'COLABS,' we look forward to creating meaningful opportunities for artists, and to enriching the cultural landscape in the Kingdom in a way that aligns with the ambitious Vision 2030."

COLABS is expected to go live with its first site in Riyadh's Al Narjis district within the next few weeks. It is a purpose-built flagship campus designed to serve startups and scaleups in the Kingdom and will also act as a platform for entrepreneurship, arts, and culture.

As part of the partnership, COLABS will be launching open calls through its Creative Collective programming for artists, artisans, and cultural practitioners across Saudi Arabia and the wider region to apply for upcoming residencies, commissions, exhibitions, and research-led initiatives.

Further details and application guidelines will be announced shortly.

Contact:
media@colabs.sa
www.colabs.sa 

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