Saudi Arabia's cultural economy in focus at high-profile Riyadh conference

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09 Oct, 2025, 12:29 GMT

Oxford Business Group teams up with the Saudi Cultural Development Fund for a special report on the Saudi Cultural Development Fund

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A key pillar of the Saudi National Culture Strategy, aligned with Vision 2030, was the focus of a new Market Outlook Report launched by global research and advisory firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) in collaboration with the Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) at the Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The report, entitled 'Saudi Arabia Cultural Market Outlook: Vision, Impact and Opportunities 2025', highlights the growing significance of the global cultural and creative industries, which contribute an estimated $2.3trn annually, or 3.1% of global GDP, and provide employment for around 30m people.

In Saudi Arabia, the cultural sector's GDP contribution is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 20% between 2021 and 2030 – with the sector targeting a 3% contribution to national GDP by the end of the decade.

The report examines the enabling of Saudi Arabia's cultural ecosystem, led by the Ministry of Culture and its 11 cultural commissions, with CDF serving as centre of excellence and financial enablement, under the supervision of the National Development Fund. With projected demand of $20bn-22.7bn by 2030, expected supply of $10.7bn-13.3bn signals a $6.7bn-9.3bn funding gap. Private lenders and investors will be central to capturing this opportunity and contribute the sector's sustainable growth. Subsectors such as fashion, film and culinary arts are expected to drive demand, accounting for nearly half of total cultural financing requirements by 2030.

The report feature ready to invest 36 across 7 sector cultural sectors promising investment opportunities in the cultural sector presented by the Ministry of Investment, the Invest Saudi initiative, and the Cultural Development Fund, which can serve as attractive destinations for both local and international investors. Investment tickets ranging from $72,200K to $83m up to 24% internal rate return (IRR).

The Cultural Investment Conference, held 29-30 September 2025 at the King Fahad Cultural Centre in Riyadh, convenes over 1,500 attendees and more than 150 speakers representing government, private sector, creative industries, cultural institutions and financing bodies. The event explores themes such as "Culture as Capital", "Financing the Future of Culture" and "The ROI of Culture", and aims to spotlight both domestic and emerging market opportunities in culture.

Oliver Cornock, Editor-in-Chief, Oxford Business Group, notes that the Kingdom has laid solid foundations for building a diversified cultural economy.

"Saudi Arabia's cultural sector is now positioned to make a measurable contribution to national GDP, while also attracting long-term investment flows. Our research, produced in collaboration with the Cultural Development Fund, provides data-led insights into the opportunities that this emerging sector offers," he said.

Büşra Karacadağ, Country Director for Saudi Arabia, Oxford Business Group, explained that the report demonstrated how Saudi Arabia was combining strategic planning with targeted financing tools to attract investors.

"Vision 2030 and the National Culture Strategy are ensuring that growth is taking place across a broad set of subsectors. The report shows how the cultural economy is evolving into an investable proposition, with the potential to deliver sustainable returns both in the Kingdom and beyond" she comments.

The Saudi Arabia Cultural Market Outlook: Vision, Impact and Opportunities 2025 report was produced in partnership with the Cultural Development Fund. It is now available to view and download at: https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/reports/saudi-arabia-cultural-market-outlook-vision-impact-and-opportunities-2025-focus-report/

About Oxford Business Group

Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global research and advisory company with a presence in over 30 countries, spanning Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. It is recognised internationally as a distinctive and respected provider of on-the-ground intelligence on world's fastest-growing markets, termed The Yellow Slice, in reference to OBG's corporate colour.

Through its range of products – Economic News and Views; OBG CEO Surveys; OBG Events and Conferences; Global Platform, which hosts exclusive video interviews; and The Report publications – as well as its Advisory division, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sector-level developments for sound investment opportunities and business decisions.

OBG provides business intelligence to its subscribers through multiple platforms, including its direct subscribers, Dow Jones Factiva subscribers, the Bloomberg Professional Services subscribers, Refinitiv's (previously Thomson Reuters) Eikon subscribers, and more.

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