Fenaa Alawwal Cultural Center

Fenaa Alawwal Cultural Center is a cultural hub dedicated to bringing together thinkers, creatives, and multi-talented persons through diverse spaces for art exhibitions, workshops, and cultural gatherings. Located in the Diplomatic Quarter in the capital, Riyadh, the center was launched by the Ministry of Culture on December 15, 2022.

The center's opening coincided with the launch of the inaugural art exhibition titled Memory Deposit, which lasted for three months. The exhibition presented the history of minting and the origins of the Saudi currency through the work of six contemporary local and international artists within five symbolic themes: oil, nature, pilgrimage via the Red Sea, Makkah al-Mukarramah, and Saudi Arabia's emblem.

The center is housed in the historic building of Awwal Bank in the Diplomatic Quarter, previously known as the Saudi Hollandi Bank, the first commercial bank to operate in Saudi Arabia. The bank's branch was designed in 1988 by Omrania. It is a landmark of the Diplomatic Quarter with its design featured with cylindrical columns within a square frame adorned with geometric patterns inspired by traditional Najdi architecture.

The building was placed under the care of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) until the Ministry of Culture reused it to convert it into a cultural space as part of its efforts to promote culture as a lifestyle and create opportunities for global cultural exchange.

The center includes a specialized library offering a curated collection of cultural and artistic books across various disciplines. It also features a permanent art collection displayed in the Sculpture Courtyard. The outdoor garden of the center showcases six artworks, most of which were specifically designed for Fenaa Alawwal. These works are contributions by Saudi artists and three global artists from the United States of America, Argentina, and Egypt, allowing visitors to explore the artworks of renowned local and global artists.