Villa Hegra: A Year of Cultural Celebration
In a bustling metropolis like Dubai, the Saudi-French cultural institution Villa Hegra stands as an oasis of creativity and collaboration. Designed to be “an incubator for artists and creators,” the villa recently celebrated the first anniversary of its pre-opening program in July. Over the past year, Villa Hegra has been a hub of cultural activities, concerts, artistic retreats, and research programs, nestled in the heart of AlUla. This marks the beginning of Villa Hegra’s first pre-opening cycle, which will continue until the end of the year.
Rooted in State-to-State Collaboration
Established through an intergovernmental agreement signed in December 2021 by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al-Saud and Jean-Yves Le Drian, then-French minister of foreign affairs, now president of AfAlula (the French Agency for AlUla Development), Villa Hegra aims to foster cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and France. The villa is not just a private initiative; it represents the collaborative spirit of two nations coming together at a cultural level.
Artists from the Opera National de Paris met with students of the AlUla Music Hub, as part of the Villa’s recent partnership with the opera. (Supplied)
As Fériel Fodil, CEO of Villa Hegra, explains, the villa will serve as a cultural center, artist residency, school for tourism and hospitality (Firendi AlUla), apartment hotel, and a space for dialogue between international and regional artists, local communities, and the oasis of AlUla. The vision is to create humble yet impactful programs that blend seamlessly with the natural surroundings of AlUla, preserving its heritage while fostering innovation.
American-Saudi artist Sarah Brahim and French artist Ugo Schiavi were the first of Villa Hegra’s artists to travel to AlUla in July 2023, as part of the Villa’s first preopening cycle. (Supplied)
A Hub for the Arts and Culture
Villa Hegra is set to become a vibrant space for performing arts, dancing, research, digital studios, visual arts exhibitions, yoga, fitness, and artist residencies. The cultural center and artist residencies are scheduled to launch by the end of 2026, following the completion of the second pre-opening cycle. The hotel and Firendi AlUla are expected to open in 2027. Additionally, a portion of Villa Hegra will be dedicated to regenerating the town’s oasis, connecting urban and natural elements of AlUla’s landscape.
“We are not (an add-on), we are rooted within the town,” Fodil emphasizes. The design of the villa reflects the heritage of AlUla, where winter and summer farms are connected through a journey known as ‘rihla.’
Villa Hegra has already initiated research into the cultural and socio-economic impact of cultural activations by the Royal Commission for AlUla on the local community. The main objective of the cultural center is community engagement, with programs designed to cater to both local and international audiences. Villa Hegra’s cultural program includes exhibitions, artist residencies, and public outreach activities like podcasts, publications, and cinema initiatives.