The Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turki Al-Sheikh, as part of efforts to support and empower local talent, announced that this year’s Riyadh season will feature 20 Gulf and Arab concerts – 90 percent of which will feature Saudi musicians.
No Egyptian plays are part of the new Riyadh season, he added.
He confirmed that this year’s Riyadh Season will focus on presenting Saudi, Emirati, Qatari, and Syrian Levantine performances, alongside international works.
Sheikh explained that “Saudis have the highest share of performances, followed by Levantine ones.”
He also confirmed that all the goals set during the past seasons of the Riyadh Season have been fully achieved.
Al-Sheikh noted that preparations are currently underway to launch new plans for the upcoming seasons, which will define the entertainment strategy in Saudi Arabia and globally.
During a press conference announcing the details of the Riyadh Season, Sheikh said that the season’s events have become well-known around the world.
Sheikh added: “Everywhere in London or America, they know about the Riyadh Season events, and it’s a huge success for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.”
He explained that no dedicated TV channel has been created to broadcast the season’s events, but there are major media alliances with major platforms and companies such as MBC, Netflix, and Rotana through which events are broadcast in exchange for a percentage of the advertising revenue.
Sheikh explained that he is solely responsible for managing the Riyadh Season, and has no affiliation to the Jeddah Season or any of the other seasons held across Saudi Arabia.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
