(JEDDAH) When we think about creativity and art we probably think about certain groups of people, this is not the case in the western shore of Saudi Arabia. Many things in Saudi Arabia are changing, fast and robust. New concepts are opening to advance art and culture and promote tourism.
Noug café started in September 2021, putting a mark on the scene of Cafes, particularly cultural cafes! Noug, which means group of female camels, reflects the perfect times of Art Deco started in the 1920s as an art movement in Paris, France. Art Deco is a global culture, that we see in many well-known momentums around the world including the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building in New York, The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Eiffel Tower in Paris, The Savoy and OXO tower in London and many other cities.
Mohammad Bakhrieba, the Founder of Noug explains the story of Noug as an era of unification of Saudi Arabia, in September 1932, and the name came as a pride for the country!
Noug marks an important art movement Art Deco which is revolving back in our current times, yet the soul of Noug is Culture and Music. It’s becoming the hub of Jazz art in Saudi Arabia which develops a culture of Jazz Music, catering to the local community with local and international talents who provide great experiences of art and culture. Philosophy and literature also have a great deal of Noug, as it was selected twice by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture to be a literary partner, Noug has succeeded in catering to more than 100 cultural discussions and gatherings with local writers, philosophers, and poets. The vision of Noug is to provide the community with a safe space to experience a local taste of intellectual discussion and strengthen the fabric of the culture. Which is indeed creative and falls in the heart of the Culture and creative industry defined in the Global SDG 2030 agenda (also called Vision 2030).
Historically, when cafes started they aimed to provide a safe space for discussions, which we can call it cultural spaces, of course, this has changed with time, yet Noug is bringing back this culture of discussions and gathering at Cafes. The road to culture is not easy there are many aspects to consider between the economic versus cultural strings of business. What differentiates a business model is to bring both strings together and play it right, and this is what makes a successful cultural café grow and stretch around the world. The world needs more Cultural Cafes like Noug.
