National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters and Al-Salam Al-Oula Announce Dasma Theatre's Readiness with Highest Safety and Global Standards

The Al-Dasmah Theater hosted an expanded press conference, during which the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, in collaboration with Al Salam First for General Trading and Contracting and Al Salam Media Group, announced the readiness of this historic artistic and theatrical venue and its official opening following the completion of its comprehensive development and rehabilitation project. The conference was attended by Assistant Secretary-General for Financial, Administrative, and Supporting Artistic Affairs at the National Council, Muassad Al-Zamil; Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Salam First, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Muslem; and representative of Al Salam Media Group at the conference, Dr. Tariq Al-Ali, alongside a large gathering of artists, media personalities, and representatives of media outlets and digital platforms.

The awarding of the bid for the development and operation of Al-Dasmah Theater to “Al Salam First” for a period of five years marks a new phase that restores this historic venue to the public in a manner befitting its legacy, embodying the National Council’s vision of building a genuine partnership with the private sector that transcends traditional investment to leverage specialized expertise and artistic experience.

At the outset, Assistant Secretary-General Muassad Al-Zamil delivered a statement in which he said: “I was deeply moved by the visual presentation documenting the years of deterioration of these facilities. When I was entrusted with the responsibility and appointed Assistant Secretary-General for the Arts Sector, I found that the main theaters were closed due to the lack of safety permits from the General Directorate of Fire Services. The government’s stance in this regard was firm and correct; the safety of people’s lives is paramount. Although this passion for presenting the arts posed a significant constraint for me at the beginning of my tenure, the first test was the Kuwait Theater Festival, where artists have a particular affinity for performing at Al-Dasmah Theater. To ensure the festival’s continuity, we coordinated with the Fire Services to obtain a temporary permit, with fire personnel and vehicles present throughout the festival days for immediate intervention in case of any emergency. Subsequently, we were forced to rent halls such as the Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center for musical events and festivals, which placed a heavy burden on our annual budget.”

He added: “When studying the initiative to reactivate the theaters, we found that following the traditional documentary cycle for tenders and government practices would require four to five years without operation. Therefore, given that I come from the private sector and understand its flexibility and speed, I proposed involving the private sector to invest in and rehabilitate these theaters under the full engineering and artistic supervision of the National Council. This idea received support and encouragement from Dr. Mohammed Al-Jassar and former Minister Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi. We worked for a year and a half to obtain official approvals from regulatory authorities, marking the first investment bid for a cultural and artistic facility. We stipulated in the tender documents the highest artistic and engineering standards to preserve the theater’s architectural identity and historical design. When the bid was launched, six companies applied, three of which qualified, and the technical conditions and criteria fully aligned with ‘Al Salam First.’ Fate decreed that Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Muslem—who had rehabilitated the theater immediately after liberation—would win the bid and take on the responsibility of rehabilitating it again under significant challenge. Despite regional circumstances and supply delays that hindered the handover of the building, the government agreed to extend the preparation deadline, allowing Al-Muslem and his team to complete this difficult transformation in just three months.”

He concluded: “For me, this project is the most significant achievement whose value I fully appreciate, as it revives a venue that unites artists and remains in their memories. I am delighted by the spirit of cooperation uniting Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Muslem and Dr. Tariq Al-Ali, and we congratulate everyone on this integration and the successful model between the National Council and the private sector.”

Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Muslem, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Salam First for General Trading and Contracting, also participated, stating: “Al-Dasmah Theater does not belong to any single entity or artist; rather, it belongs to the cultural memory and is a home for all creators. Here, we honor the pioneers and stars of the theater who presented timeless works on this stage that shaped the consciousness of the Kuwaiti, Gulf, and Arab audiences, such as ‘Bye Bye London,’ ‘Knights of the Climate,’ ‘Protectors of the Homeland,’ and ‘Bye Bye Arabs,’ as well as the Liberation Station, where we voluntarily, at our own expense, initiated the rehabilitation of the theater to host ‘Kuwait is Free’ in 1991, followed by ‘Desert Storm’ and then ‘Sword of the Arabs.’ Despite exceptional circumstances and challenges in regional shipping and supply, we succeeded, by the grace of God and through cooperation with the National Council team, in completing rehabilitation and development works in just three months. The company carried out additional voluntary works outside the scope of the bid, including replacing all suspended theater rigging in collaboration with a British company with over 120 years of experience, to ensure the safety of sets, lighting, and wall, ceiling, and floor coverings with fire-resistant and health-safe materials. These works were engineered to improve sound reflections and create an excellent listening environment, delivering the actor’s natural voice to the last seat without relying entirely on microphones. We also developed all fire safety systems, electrical installations, and plumbing, and fully equipped the theater’s three-story backstage areas and artists’ rooms with luxurious (five-star standard) furnishings. Our goal is for Al-Dasmah Theater’s facilities to match modern venues such as the Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center and global theaters in Broadway and the West End in terms of safety standards and audience comfort. We also affirm our ethical commitment to operate throughout the year, opening the theater’s doors to events, conferences, national celebrations, artistic workshops, and community activities throughout the five-year contract period.”

Dr. Tariq Al-Ali, representative of Al Salam Media Group, said: “When an artist undertakes production, they face the dilemma of finding a screening venue; private theaters are limited, and access to the lottery is governed by the scarcity of active halls, which has pushed producers—including Abdulaziz Al-Muslem—to rent cinema halls such as Granada and Qadisiya, or invest in unprepared theaters like the Workers’ Union Theater and rehabilitate them through self-effort. In the private sector, we are not joint-stock companies with millions in capital or huge endowments; rather, we rely on self-financing and reinvest profits to develop shows and ensure audience comfort. The audience is fully aware that ticket prices go toward securing this preparation and comfort.”

He added: “Today, I commend the decision to adhere to safety requirements and the General Directorate of Fire Services; security and safety are a red line. However, in return, we urge the government and the National Council not to leave other state theaters, such as Howaiya, Al-Shamiya, and Abdulhussein Abdulredha, closed. Instead, they should approve urgent maintenance budgets and implement fire networks in these venues to open opportunities for young talents and artistic troupes that are currently striving to rent cinema halls or sports arenas.”

He also added: “The Kuwaiti theater represents the country’s ‘soft power’; it is a source of security and an outlet for the public during crises, such as the impact after liberation or following the coronavirus pandemic. Kuwaiti theater is sought after and influential at the Gulf and Arab levels, and Kuwaiti troupes participate strongly in various regional festivals and seasons. Therefore, I call for increasing the budgets of the theater sector and the National Council to encourage emerging young minds from playwrights, directors, and technicians. I also join the call of media officials and Kuwait Television to reopen the ‘Executive Producer’ channel to support Kuwaiti art.”