Cultural Development Fund

Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund Strengthens Investment Ecosystem with Over SAR 3 billion in New Funds and Financing Solutions to Grow Saudi Cultural Sector

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Cultural Development Fund (CDF), Saudi Arabia’s key financial enabler of the cultural sector, has announced a suite of new funds and financial products exceeding SAR 3 billion (USD 933 million), further advancing its mission to unlock private investment and build a sustainable cultural economy. Through these efforts, CDF continues to enrich Saudi cultural production and create developmental economic opportunities—advancing the Kingdom’s cultural scene and deepening appreciation of national culture both locally and globally.

Commenting on the new funds, Majed Abdulmohsen Alhugail, CEO of the Cultural Development Fund said:

“As a Center of Excellence and Financial Enabler for the cultural sector, the Cultural Development Fund works to strengthen integration across the cultural ecosystem and deepen strategic partnerships with the private sector, driving the sector’s sustainability and long-term growth. The agreements we recently signed during the Cultural Investment Conference reflect our commitment to advancing public–private partnerships through risk-sharing mechanisms and co-financing models that channel new capital flows into the cultural economy. These commitments mark a pivotal step toward building a thriving cultural sector that is globally competitive, generates investment and employment opportunities, and contributes to sustainable development. These efforts align with the National Culture Strategy and Vision 2030, which aim to raise the cultural sector’s contribution to GDP to 3%, while increasing the private sector’s share to 65% and diversifying the Kingdom’s economy.”

CDF’s announcements span both investment and financing solutions, including agreements to establish three new investment funds, with CDF acting as an anchor investor for two of them. The first fund is the SAR 375 million (USD 100 million) film investment fund, where CDF is an anchor investor in partnership with BSF Capital. The second is the SAR 300 million (USD 80 million) Fashion Investment Fund, also with CDF as anchor investor in partnership with Merak Capital. The third fund, valued at SAR 850 million (USD 227 million), is launched by the Cultural Assets Group and financed with SAR 200 million (USD 53 million) CDF as part of its role in enabling the cultural sector.

The Cultural Assets Group’s Fund will make investments across visual arts, fashion, digital content, experience design, and emerging technologies. This fund integrates public and private capital to localize IP, attract international companies, and sustain long-term growth of the cultural economy.

The new film investment fund, managed by BSF Capital, targets investment in high-quality film projects and studio facilities in and beyond Saudi Arabia. This includes film production and distribution. Its goal is to develop the Saudi film sector’s infrastructure and expand its global reach, in collaboration with one of the world’s leading film production companies.

The Fashion Investment Fund, managed by Merak Capital, is the Kingdom’s first dedicated fashion investment fund. It will support local and regional fashion companies and supply chains, aiming to grow Saudi brands with international expansion potential while enhancing sector sustainability.

On the financing side, CDF has launched the Co-Lending Product – the first of its kind in the cultural sector – in partnership with five leading financial institutions. At the same time, CDF introduced five new financing products under “Cultural Finance”. These are receivable financing, revolving loans, bridge loans, medium- and long-term loans, and micro-lending. The Fund also signed cooperation agreements with three local banks to broaden the reach of CDF’s “Cultural Finance.” Through these announcements, CDF aims to provide cultural MSMEs with flexible financing options tailored to their needs, enabling their growth and expansion across the cultural value chain.

Beyond investment funds and financing products, CDF announced the release of its inaugural investment report, “Saudi Arabia Cultural Market Outlook 2025: Vision, Impact, and Opportunities”, which maps the Saudi cultural economy landscape, featuring 36 promising, ready-to-invest opportunities introduced by the Ministry of Investment, Invest in Saudi, and CDF. The Fund also launched a digital investment platform to empower local and foreign entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in the Saudi cultural economy.

These announcements were underpinned by strategic partnerships with both the public and private sectors. CDF signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Investment, Sparklabs, and Asyad Holdings to develop and enable the growth of the cultural sector. In addition, it signed cooperation agreements with the Royal Commission for AlUla, MBC Group, Rotana Studios, and the Saudi Coffee Company to drive the sector’s sustainable growth and amplify its economic and social impact.

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