Registration is now open for participation in the second annual Al-Sharqiya Gets Creative initiative. Organized by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, it includes events and activities in 10 creative fields to help develop the Easter Province as a hub of creativity.

The initiative — which takes place in conjunction with Tanween, Ithra’s season devoted to creativity — will run from Oct. 31 until Nov. 7. The registration process remains open until Oct. 21 and is open to Saudis only.

Hadeel Al-Issa, the supervisor of Al-Sharqiya Gets Creative, said that the goal is to help establish the Eastern Province as a key center for creativity in the Kingdom. The initiative offers a range of opportunities to explore innovative ideas and discover talents that can help to achieve sustainable development in the fields of thought, culture and creativity, he added.

The areas covered by the initiative include Dammam, Khobar, Al-Ahsa, Qatif, Buqayq, Jubail, Hafr Al-Batin, Al-Nairiyah and Al-Khafji. It includes three main sections: a program path that includes creative installations, written content, cultural guidance, a bazaar and challenges; a production path that gives participants the chance to design and create tangible products; and an education path that includes workshops, virtual seminars and a hackathon.

The participants in last year’s Al-Sharqiya Gets Creative included more than 66 organizations from the public and private sectors, 50 teachers and a number of universities, schools, academies, training institutes and social platforms.

The 10 creative fields covered by the initiative are: communication, product design, content creation, interactive activities, arts and photography, creative economy, fashion and crafts, architecture, and food design.