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RIYADH: The annual Souq Okaz festival will this year introduce the Theatrical Creativity Award for the best performances.
“The Cultural Committee of the Souq Okaz has approved the Theatrical Creativity Award... which will be launched on the sidelines of the upcoming session next month,” the media department of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), the organizer of the festival, said Thursday.
“The Committee has chosen seven performances to contest the prizes, which will be worth over SR200,000 ($53,328),” it said. All performances that are shortlisted for the creativity award will be held in the Fahd Art Theater Hall at the Taif Culture and Arts Association.
The shortlisted teams will compete for a number of awards including playwriting, directing, acting and audiovisual effects, in addition to the SR100,000 Souq Okaz Grand Prize for Theatrical Creativity for the best integrated play.
The SCTH has completed major preparations and the organizing committee has announced the festival events and activities. The 11th edition will witness more than 100 functions, in addition to contests and tourist journeys that will provide a unique experience to visitors at the festival.
The week-long festival will open on July 12 in Taif under the patronage of King Salman.