Theater and Performing Arts Award

The Theater and Performing Arts Award is an annual, Saudi, national, and cultural award that honors individuals (directors, authors, or actors), local theater groups, or production institutions specialized in theater or performing arts. It is granted to recognize their exceptional and influential efforts and achievements in the field of theater or performing arts.

The Award was introduced as part of the National Cultural Awards initiative announced by the Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan al-Saud in 2019. The inaugural edition of the Award commenced in April 2021.

The Theater and Performing Arts Award aims to acknowledge the efforts of those who made a progressive theatrical movement in the Kingdom and created a theatrical impact locally and in the Arab world, as well as those whose artistic creativity contributed to the service and advancement of the Saudi theater. Moreover, the Award celebrates the efforts of local institutions and groups that supported Saudi theater and contributed to its popularity and dissemination.

Nominations for the Award can be submitted directly via the online platform by individual participants or institutions, other people if they believe that a candidate deserves to win or to be nominated, or organizations, such as academic institutions, teams, and associations.

To be eligible for the award, the candidate must hold a Saudi nationality or be a son/daughter of a Saudi woman. Saudis must make up fifty percent of the team, and the candidate must have experience of no less than ten years in the field. As for the nominated teams, they must have experience of no less than five years in the field. Submitted information for the nomination must be correct and complete, and the candidate must have total ownership of all the public and intellectual rights for the submitted content, or partial ownership that enables the candidate to apply with the approval of the other parties and must submit the necessary documents to prove their partners' consent to the nomination. The performance wished for participation must be in the form of a clear video, while the written performance must be in the form of a PDF file. In the event that an institution is nominated, its owner must be a Saudi national. As for theatrical groups, the majority of their members must be Saudis. Moreover, winners are not eligible for re-nomination in the same track before three years have passed since they won, and are entitled to run in other tracks.

All submitted works of art must have been implemented during the five years prior to the date of candidacy.

In 2021, Sami Abdul Latif al-Jamaan won first place in the first edition of the Theater and Performing Arts Award, while Yasser bin Yahya Madkhali won second place. In 2022, Ali bin Yahya Khabrani won during its second edition.