As an assistant professor at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Noura Shuqair (’20 Ph.D.) is developing research about the relationship between the historical area Al-Balad and contemporary Saudi art practice — a topic she will study as part of a creative residency sponsored by the Ministry of Art and Culture. Al-Balad, located in the west of Saudi Arabia in historic Jeddah, is listed as a World Heritage Center by UNESCO to support the documentation and research of Al-Balad, especially in Arabic language. She wanted to pursue the topic because of her interest in the architecture and art of her homeland, and she hopes to gain more understanding of the history of the area and enrich the literature about the site. She was inspired to research and write about contemporary art in Saudi Arabia while studying at UNT with her mentors, art history professor Nada Shabout and art education professor Tyson Lewis.