Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, Winter at Tantora Festival has announced the presentation of Franchise Freedom, a performance arts initiative created by Studio Drift using a swarm of drones that will decorate the sky of AlUla. Franchise Freedom will be brought to the Kingdom on Feb. 27 and 28 as part of the Winter at Tantora Festival, which seeks to shed light on the human, cultural and heritage aspects of humanity and present a variety of international events. Noura Aldabal, culture & arts manager at The Royal Commission for AlUla commented "Winter at Tantora strives to keep pace with the evolution of humanity and the mix between the arts and technical development that the world has seen today while preserving the heritage of AlUla. Franchise Freedom is a living embodiment of this goal; and we are proud to host this distinguished international artwork in AlUla. We hope that visitors will enjoy a spectacular experience and have a good time attending the outstanding events of Winter Tantora." Franchise Freedom is a performance arts initiative by Studio Drift that explores the relationships amongst humanity, nature, and technology. Formed from an autonomously flying swarm of hundreds of drones, the work provokes contemplation upon the concept of freedom and social construct. Franchise Freedom underlines the harmony between humans and their surroundings, the result being an exceptional work of art that uses the sky as a canvas. AlUla is a representation of a unique place on earth where humans have adapted to the rules of their natural environment in order to survive. Breathtaking sculptural rock-graves arose from this adaptation; an explicit celebration of mankind in full harmony with the desert. Studio Drift is proud to bring Franchise Freedom to Saudi Arabia. The drone performance itself poetically illustrates how an individual can remain free, while operating within the safety of the community. Left to operate completely individually, chaos would ensue, but by being aware of each other and collaborating, great transformation can occur and something truly magical can be achieved. Franchise Freedom brings this interrogation to cultures all over the world. Franchise Freedom is one of the modern cultural entertainment events that AlUla presents during this year's Winter at Tantora Festival. The festival offers a wide variety of diverse experiences that meet the needs of all visitors and suit all tastes, whether for individuals, groups or families from different segments of society. Over the course of 12 weeks, the festival will present a variety of activities that merge Eastern and Western culture, embodying AlUla's heritage as a meeting point for different civilisations from around the world throughout history. — SG
