Second edition of Athar Festival to manifest the infinite possibilities of AI-powered creative expression

Technology has the potential to unveil, unlock, and unleash the true power of creativity, transforming the process of creative expression like never before. To explore the game-changing impact of creativity, powered by the confluence of human and artificial intelligence, the second edition of Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity, the Kingdom’s largest gathering of the creative marketing industry, will take place from 5-6 November 2024 at Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention. The festival will bring together experts and senior decision makers from agencies, brands, and the creative marketing community from the region and globally to learn, network, and celebrate the very best in Saudi creativity.

Presented by Motivate Media Group, the region’s leading multi-platform content producer, and TRACCS, the largest independent, homegrown regional communications consultancy, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, this year’s festival will again serve as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and skills development, propelling the Kingdom’s creative landscape to new heights.

Building on the success of the inaugural edition that hosted over 1,400 attendees, including more than a hundred speakers, joined by industry professionals and young talent from the region and beyond, this year’s festival will spark the passion and potential of the Kingdom’s creative community, and will feature various programmes, including expert sessions led by accomplished regional and global speakers, industry roundtables, exclusive C-suite sessions, accelerator programmes, a 24-hour hack competition and Academies for Young Talent, exclusively for industry professionals under 30 and university students.  Additionally, attendees can look forward to gaining knowledge on the evolution and giant strides made by Saudi Arabia in the creative sphere.

Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group, said: “Building on the immense success of the inaugural Athar Festival, the second edition will capitalise on the Kingdom’s conducive environment for creativity and innovation to foster deeper exchanges between the Saudi creative industry and its global counterparts. Key on the agenda will be to better understand how technology, and AI specifically, will contribute to the growth and impact of the creative sector. We are confident that the festival will strengthen the collaborative spirit within the creative industry and push the boundaries of creativity through the diverse avenues for expression, learning, and training.”

Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS, said: “Athar Festival is dedicated to enabling and empowering a new generation of young, creative-first Saudi marketers in line with the country’s social, cultural, and economic aspirations. As the Kingdom intensifies efforts to position itself as the regional hub for creative innovation, it will explore the transformative influences of technology in today’s constantly evolving world, which continue to proliferate and deeply impact a broad spectrum of industries. Human ingenuity and creativity, when combined with the disruptive power of AI, has unprecedented potential with infinite possibilities.”

This year, Athar Festival will span two days, featuring two distinct content stages. With the main conference and sessions commencing from 5-6 November, specialised training academies in marketing and communications tailored for young talent under 30, will be carried out from 3-6 November. These student academies and Young Athar academies will cover various topics in the fields of marketing and advertising, demonstrating the festival’s commitment to supporting the development of young talent. The series of events will then culminate in a grand finale with the prestigious Athar Awards ceremony, on the evening of 6 November.

The festival’s “Call for Content,” inviting proposals from across the Kingdom and beyond to ensure broad coverage of relevant topics and voices at the event, will close on 24 May 2024. With the substantial attendance and comprehensive representation of the Saudi creative industry expected, this presents a valuable opportunity for participants to present their ideas and gain valuable insights from the finest minds in the creative community.