Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts, an organization that is supported by the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, has concluded the “Costumes in Cinematic Production Initiative,” in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla, represented by the Entrepreneurship Empowerment Center, Vibes AlUla. The initiative aimed to support women in launching their businesses by providing a comprehensive training program that kicked off in AlUla province in November 2023.
This initiative is aligned with the ongoing growth of the cinema and entertainment sectors in Saudi Arabia, leveraging the promising opportunities in these domains. The program supports the film and television industry, which requires talent and innovation to create costumes that bring characters to life and reflect the director and author’s vision.
For a month and a half, the training program targeted women passionate about tailoring and fashion design, with 15 female participants selected after completing the interview stage. The program included courses in professional marketing, entrepreneurship, and fundamentals of cinematic costume design for 60 training hours. At the end of the program, the participants received certificates accredited by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation. The designers also got the necessary support, tools, and subscriptions to establish their e-stores on local e-commerce platforms.
Dr. May Taibah, director of Nafisa Shams Academy and member of the board of trustees at Community Jameel Saudi, said: “We are proud to conclude this unique initiative successfully, which reflects the commitment of Nafisa Shams Academy and its collaboration with Vibes AlUla to empowering Saudi women. This step came at a time when we are witnessing a rapid growth in the Kingdom’s film and entertainment industry. We believe in the ability of female craftswomen to make a positive impact in this exciting and diverse sector. The participants got the necessary training and support to transform their talents into creative and inspiring artworks. We hope these efforts will help advance the field and society and enable us to realize our vision for the future.”
The program was designed to provide women with the skills required in the creative industry, developing the role of women in Saudi Arabia’s emerging cinematic sector. The initiative reflects Community Jameel Saudi’s focus on empowering women to achieve financial independence, create employment opportunities, and generate income, allowing them to contribute to sustainable development and building more inclusive and prosperous societies. It comes in line with Vision 2030, especially with regard to the Human Capacity Development Program that aims to enable Saudis to enter the fields required in the labor market, and the Quality of Life Program that seeks to localize the entertainment and cinema sectors in the Kingdom.
