‘Wrth Saudi’ Initiative to Showcase National Crafts on Highway Signage

The Saudi Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, Wrth, has announced the launch of the ‘Wrth Saudi’ initiative in partnership with the Roads General Authority. The project will display illustrations of traditional crafts on highway signage across the Kingdom, linking regions to their artisanal heritage through one of Saudi Arabia’s most widely used public infrastructures.

Unveiled as part of the Ministry of Culture’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Handicrafts’, the initiative supports a broader campaign to preserve and celebrate the Kingdom’s diverse crafts. Over the course of the year, the Ministry will organise exhibitions, educational programmes, and competitions that centre on traditional techniques and materials.

Crafts featured on the new signage include Najdi-style wooden doors, mud-brick construction, wood carving, carpentry, and the making of the bisht, a traditional men’s cloak. Each highway sign will be site-specific, corresponding to regions historically associated with particular crafts and techniques.

The rollout will begin with signage placed along three key highways: the Riyadh–Dammam Highway, the Makkah–Madinah Highway, and the Riyadh–Qassim Expressway. Future phases are planned to cover more routes throughout the country.

Saudi Arabia’s road network, among the largest globally in terms of connectivity, will be used as a platform for cultural engagement. By incorporating traditional design into everyday infrastructure, the project aims to raise public awareness and appreciation for the country’s regional heritage.

Wrth continues to promote traditional arts through community-based initiatives. Earlier this year, it launched the Wrth Community Programme to increase public engagement with heritage crafts through workshops and dialogue sessions. These activities focus on essential materials such as stone, wood, ceramics, and metal, and are intended to preserve artisanal knowledge through shared learning.