Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured the winners of the 10th Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ competition yesterday evening, during a gala dinner held at the Armani Hotel Dubai, Burj Khalifa.
The gala dinner and awards ceremony were attended by Chairman of the HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian & Scientific Foundation HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan; Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development HE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan; Chairperson of the Board and Managing Director of Dubai Women Establishment HE Mona Ghanem Al Marri; and Acting Director General, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority HE Saeed Al Nabouda.
Other attendees at the event included CEO of Dubai Women Establishment HE Shamsa Saleh; and Director of The Cultural Office of HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Mona bin Kalli; members of the Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ judging panel; representatives of the local and international art community; and members of the media.
Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “As a powerful platform which speaks a universal language, arts and culture play a significant role on numerous levels, and enhancing its influence remains a life-long goal and passion for me. It was this passion which led me to establish the Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ 10 years ago, to support the continued development of the UAE’s arts scene, and motivate young talents in their artistic pursuits. The UAE has always been a strong supporter of arts and culture, and with my firm personal belief in the crucial role they play in enriching our lives, I wanted to create a platform which would promote artistic and cultural works and raise awareness about the importance of this field, particularly amongst the youth.”
Her Highness continued: “I’m very proud of the way this competition has developed throughout the past decade, evolving to become one of the most prestigious honours for emerging creatives across the country, and the important part the Award has played in showcasing the work of so many remarkable artists, whilst recognising and nurturing their talent. I would like to thank all participants, partners and judges for their support and efforts over the past 10 years, which has helped us to achieve so much. Together, we have worked towards creating a legacy of artistic excellence to inspire future generations of talented young artists to explore their creativity and push creative boundaries. I would also like to congratulate each of our winners for this 10th edition of the Award, who I’m sure will continue to achieve great things in the future.”
During the event, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented
awards across five categories, including Fine Art, Photography, Multimedia, Design and Architecture, a newly-launched category for this year. Winners of the ‘People’s Choice Award’, #ClickYAA social media photography competition and group submission entries were also presented with prizes.
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Since its inception 10 years ago, the Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ has proven to provide a vital contribution to the ongoing development of the UAE’s cultural landscape and the country’s artistic evolution, thanks to the continuous hard work of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and her Cultural Office. The growing number of entries received each year and the outstanding calibre of the artworks submitted and recognised this year are testament to this development. I’d like to congratulate each of the winners on their remarkable achievements, and wish all participants the best of success in their future endeavours.”
First launched in 2006, the Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ is an annual visual arts competition founded and organised by The Cultural Office of HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which aims to encourage, recognise and promote emerging artists from the UAE.
The winners were selected by a judging panel featuring a range of art influencers from prominent organisations and institutions within the region and beyond. The judges included Founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi; architect and partner at the Loci Architecture & Design Studio Hamad Khoory; Assistant Keeper (Curator) - Islamic and contemporary Middle East at the British Museum in London Venetia Porter; Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) Ali bin Thalith; Founder of Lammtara Art Production Mohammed Saeed Harib; and Fair Director of Design Days Dubai Cyril Zammit.
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