Goethe-Institut Opens Heritage Workshop for Women Artists in Saudi

Female artists based in Saudi Arabia are invited to apply for 'Heritage Narratives in Southern Arabia', a collaborative workshop programme organised by the Goethe-Institut that will take place in Aseer from October 15th to November 1st, 2026.

The two-week programme will bring together Berlin-based graphic designer and typographer Verena Gerlach with artists working across disciplines including textiles, mural painting, graphic design, crafts and photography to explore personal and community stories through the region's cultural heritage.

A key focus of the workshops will be Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, the traditional interior wall decoration of the Aseer region, examining how the centuries-old practice can be interpreted through contemporary artistic approaches.

According to the Goethe-Institut, the programme aims to contribute to preserving traditional crafts, encourage cultural exchange and support the transmission of cultural knowledge to younger generations through workshops, training sessions and collaborative artistic production.

Towards the end of the programme, participants will begin developing a final artistic project for exhibition in Saudi Arabia in 2027, with the possibility of a subsequent presentation in Berlin. Following the in-person workshops, the artists will continue refining their work through online mentoring sessions with Verena Gerlach.

Further details on eligibility and the application process will be announced by the Goethe-Institut Saudi Arabia.