RIYADH: In the heart of Riyadh’s JAX District, Beast House has emerged as one of the Kingdom’s most dynamic creative hubs — a space where musicians, producers, designers, and artists come together to collaborate, connect, and grow.

Located in Diriyah’s J12, Beast House is more than just a music venue. It serves as a meeting point for Saudi and international talent, blending entertainment, culture, and community into one destination. 

Whether through workshops, live performances, or casual gatherings, the space provides a platform for creative expression that reflects the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving cultural scene.

German DJ, producer, and label founder David Galla first encountered Beast House during a visit to Riyadh and was immediately struck by the atmosphere.

“I visited in April, toured the studios, and knew instantly this was a place I wanted to be,” he said. “The team, the vibe, the creativity — it’s all very inspiring. Saudi Arabia has something special here, and the people are so welcoming.”

Among the local talents who have found a home at Beast House is Rayan Charani, a 17-year-old Lebanese producer and singer who was born and raised in Riyadh. 

Passionate about pop and electronic music, Charani said the community spirit is what makes the space unique.

“The equipment is great, but it’s really the people that make me want to come back,” he said. “There’s so much love here. It’s a place that inspires me every day.”

Charani’s journey with Beast House began after attending XP Music Futures, MDLBEAST’s annual conference.

Introduced to the venue through industry connections, he soon became part of its creative family. “Beast House showed me that music is not only about sound, but also about community,” he added.

Beyond its studios, Beast House also features a fine-dining restaurant and social spaces designed to foster interaction. 

Visitors can expect everything from intimate conversations over mocktails to exclusive performances, panel discussions, and workshops led by industry figures.

The venue is an extension of MDLBEAST’s mission to build a thriving music ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. 

Since the launch of Soundstorm in 2019, the Kingdom’s flagship music festival, the local industry has grown at a pace that demanded more permanent creative spaces. 

Beast House was created to meet that need — providing a year-round platform for talent development, networking, and cultural exchange.

During Arab News’ visit, it was clear that Beast House was not only a workspace but an experience in itself. 

The team has successfully created and curated an atmosphere where ambiance, decor, community, and people come together to offer something unique. 

Entry is not limited to members alone — visitors can also spend time working in the space, socializing, or simply enjoying its fine-dining offerings without accessing the studios.

Today, Beast House is seen as a symbol of the Kingdom’s cultural transformation, offering opportunities for the next generation of artists while also attracting global talent to Riyadh. It is not just a venue, but a statement of Saudi Arabia’s ambition to cement its place on the world’s creative map. 

JEDDAH: Veronika Berezina, who was born in St. Petersburg and trained as a lawyer, spent more than a decade balancing her legal career with a growing passion for contemporary art.

“I realised contemporary art offered something my legal career could not — a space for engaging with the pressing questions of our time in creative and philosophical ways,” she told Arab News. What began as private collecting soon became a public mission.

In March 2023, she opened NIKA Project Space in Dubai, “a space where audiences, artists, and curators could meet, exchange, and challenge each other openly.”

A second location followed in Paris’s Komunuma art district in September 2024, creating what Berezina calls “a bridge between European and Global South perspectives.”

NIKA champions artists and curators from underrepresented geographies, with a focus on experimental and research-driven practice. Its residencies, publishing projects, and exhibitions are intertwined.

“Residencies allow artists to immerse themselves in a place, research deepens the conceptual framework, and publishing ensures the ideas travel further,” Berezina said. This summer’s Open Studios in Dubai, featuring Yasmine Al-Awa, Ahed Al-Kathiri, and Zahra Jewanjee, led to “Rooted Echoes,” an exhibition exploring memory, cultural inheritance, and ecology.

Her curatorial ethos is shaped by her cross-cultural life. “Growing up in St. Petersburg gave me an early appreciation for the arts, while working internationally taught me adaptability and empathy.”

She prioritises artists from the Global South and female voices, aiming to “address a long-standing imbalance in the global art narrative.”

For Berezina, success is not simply about sales. “If an exhibition shifts perceptions, sparks conversation, or helps an artist reach a new stage in their career, that is success.”

She balances commercial viability with conceptual integrity by cultivating a collector base “who value intellectual depth as much as aesthetics.”

Running two spaces across different cultural contexts brings challenges, especially as a woman leader.

“Gender should never determine vision or talent, yet opportunities have not always been equally accessible,” she said. “These challenges have reinforced my conviction to create spaces that amplify underrepresented voices.”

Her advice to women entering the art world is straightforward: “Be clear in your vision, learn every facet of the business, and build a network of allies. Authenticity is your greatest asset.”

Berezina’s journey, from the law offices of St. Petersburg to the art hubs of Dubai and Paris, is anchored by one belief: art is not just to be seen, but to be lived, discussed, and used to connect worlds.