Cortona On The Move

The world’s leading documentary photographers from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America were selected by the curators Arianna Rinaldo and the Saudi-based visual artist Kolhood Albakr. Cortona On The Move, an international festival of photography held in Cortona, a small town in Italy, was born in 2011; now, in its 12th edition, it is a global point of reference for photography.

Site-specific exhibitions were accompanied by an engagement programme including guided tours, talks, screenings and training opportunities for budding photographers. Cortona On The Move for AlUla, a cultural bridge between AlUla and Cortona, marked the first international photographic event of this scale in the Kingdom. It celebrated creativity through images and shared stories, it helped developed skills and enriched the lives of visitors and communities in AlUla, in Cortona and beyond.

Bringing together a group of local, regional and international artists expressed a strong sense of community and empathic participation. It gave a peek into our shared struggles and emotions. Past Forward took us on a journey that accompanied us along with the flow of human narratives through the lens of Time and Timelessness.