BUILDING THE FUTURE

In line with the Kingdom’s ‘2030’ Vision, XP Music Futures is part of a larger effort to transform the music and cultural sector in Saudi Arabia. By assembling people from the MENA region and beyond to engage in discussions, workshops, and artistic exchanges, the three-day conference in Riyadh is an opportunity to prototype the future of Saudi’s music industry. This endeavor would not be possible without the support of the Ministry of Culture Music Commission, the official partner of XP Music Futures, the venue provider JAX District, and the participation of partners from the Saudi Music Hub, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Ministry of Sports, and the Ministry of Media.

Established in 2020 under the Ministry of Culture, the Music Commission oversees the development of the Kingdom’s music sector. The Commission seeks to increase access to music education in Saudi, empower local talent, and help realize the sector’s economic contribution through job creation, sector regulation, and the development of world-class infrastructure. In addition, the Music Commission aims to nourish Saudi’s rich musical heritage and identity through measures such as XP Music Futures.

Supported by the Ministry of Culture, JAX District opened in 2021 to provide physical spaces to support the growing arts ecosystem in Riyadh. What began as an industrial area with over 100 warehouse spaces in Ad-Diriyah has been revitalized into an epicenter of exhibition spaces, artist studios, art galleries, and other facilities and platforms for local and international artists alike—a perfect home for the diverse and budding creatives of XP Music Futures.

Initiated by the Music Commission, the Saudi Music Hub seeks to deliver high-quality music education across the Kingdom for amateurs and professionals. Housed in three campuses across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar, the Music Hub offers students first-class facilities, world-renowned faculties, and a comprehensive curriculum featuring Arabic and Western instruments, music production, vocal coaching, and music theory.

With the help of these and other partners, XP Music Futures can contribute to Kingdom-wide efforts of building a vibrant music ecosystem in Saudi.

BUILDING THE FUTURE: PRINCE AHMED BIN SULTAN AL SAUD (SAHAM)

“Even if people don’t speak English, French, Spanish, or Latin or understand the meaning of the lyrics, you will still find them engaging because music is a universal language. I’m sure we will witness Arabic— and Saudi music specifically—reaching the world.”

His Highness

Prince Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Saud, also known by the artist alias Saham, is a Saudi composer with over 15 years of experience composing melodies for some of the most significant contemporary artists from the Arab world. Saham has composed over 200 songs, including more than 20 national songs. His works have been released on over 31 albums. He has collaborated with more than 23 artists, including Saudi singer Rabeh Saqer, Syrian musician Assala Nasri, Emirati artist Ahlam, and Iraqi singer and composer Majid Al Mohandis. Most recently, Saham helped compose 11 works for Tunisian singer Oumaima Taleb’s latest release Pour Toujours (2022).

For the panel discussion on Intellectual Property (IP) Rights in the Creative Industry at XP Music Futures, Saham was joined by Habib Achour, Director of International Development at the Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM), and Saudi Authority for

Intellectual Property (SAIP) specialists Abdulaziz Alrabiah, Head of IP Respect Enablement Department, Dr. Alhanoof Aldebasi, Executive Director of Copyright, and Hesham Alarifi, Executive Director of IP Policies. Pulling from their diverse experiences working in the music industry, academia, law, business, and the public sector, the panel discussed the importance of developing a strong IP rights system for Saudi’s creative industries to flourish on a regional and global scale.

Given the industries’ early stages, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a leader by addressing some of the most significant challenges facing the global music industry, including the initiation of SAIP’s National Strategy for creative IP to maximize gains concerning intellectual property and by exploring innovation in collective management organizations (CMOs) in the face of new streaming technologies.