We have built the stages. Now we need to build the rooms.

Laila Essa, co-founder of Taglime and Soul of Saudi, argues that Saudi Arabia's creative industry already has plenty of stages: festivals, awards and conferences. What it lacks is the room where people share hard-won knowledge.

She means small communities where professionals can swap practical know-how, such as how to price a new service or how to get through government processes. Agencies, companies and conferences hand knowledge down, she says; in a community it moves sideways between peers.

Maheerah, a year-round programme for women in Saudi Arabia, is her example of a curated community that turns into practical support. She describes joining Maheerah as a participant in 2024 and later returning as a mentor.

The next phase of growth, she says, should focus on spaces where experience moves across generations, companies and disciplines.