The Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) has launched accelerators to boost the growth of cultural businesses in the country. Called Nama’ Accelerators, they will provide comprehensive training and development opportunities, as well as the opportunity to receive financial incentives.
The CDF supports a wide range of cultural sectors, including design and architecture, film, fashion, museums, heritage and the visual arts. The first track of the Nama’ Accelerators will be aimed at businesses working in the handicrafts sector in areas such as pottery, textiles and woodworking. This aims to help transform Saudi Arabia’s rich handicrafts traditions into “sustainable businesses that promote community growth, enhance innovation in handicraft industries, and embrace the national identity”, says the CDF website.
The accelerators are aimed at the kingdom’s micro, small and medium-sized businesses. This support is particularly crucial for the handicrafts sector, where many enterprises are by their nature small-scale and individual artisans might have the skills to make high-quality products, but not the modern business skills, market access, and resources needed to effectively position their work or scale into larger, more competitive markets. The accelerators are designed to enable these businesses to grow and expand by strengthening their competitive advantage and fostering innovation in their products and services.
Participants in the handicraft’s accelerator will benefit from specialised training in modern craft techniques, intensive workshops in marketing and business development, and improved access to both local and global markets, says the CDF. The accelerators conclude with targeted, financial incentives aimed at supporting long-term business growth and sustainability.
The accelerators are also designed to amplify the sector’s economic and social impact by supporting the growth of ambitious, high-potential businesses with innovative ideas.
Founded in 2021, the Cultural Development Fund seeks to “enrich Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape”. Linked to the Saudi National Development Fund, it works to enhance the cultural sector’s sustainable development and profitability, in line with the country’s Vision 2030 plan. The CDF provides a range of solutions, from consultations with experts to enhance managerial, financial, and technical capabilities, assistance with costs relating to setting up businesses, knowledge-sharing workshops, and access to financing.
The Maker's Lab project by the Almashtal creative incubator in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Photo: Courtesy CDF
This year has been named the Year of Handicrafts in Saudi Arabia, in order to highlight their importance to the kingdom’s history, identity and economic growth. Traditional crafts, including pottery, weaving, embroidery, woodwork, leatherwork and metalwork, have long been integral to daily life, social customs and regional expression in the kingdom.
The pop-up in Selfridges includes palm handicrafts, beadwork and leather crafts Photo: Courtesy CDF
The kingdom’s artisans are currently taking centre stage at Selfridges in London. As part of the Year of Handicrafts, the CDF has created a showcase of handcrafted pieces in a dedicated space in the luxury department store (until 22 June). The collection features works crafted from locally sourced, sustainable materials, reimagined through a contemporary lens–including palm weaving, beadwork and leatherwork. The activation aims to highlight the cultural and economic impact of Saudi handicrafts and give a platform for artisans to introduce their work to a global audience.
