The Cultural Office of HH Sheikha Manal celebrates successful 10th edition of ‘Young Artist Award' exhibition

• Entrants of all ages encouraged to submit their best photos of the exhibition for #ClickYAA competition
• Members of the public urged to vote for their favourite artworks in ‘People’s Choice’ award

Mona Bin Kalli: “This 10th edition of the exhibition has not only attracted hundreds of members of the arts community and art enthusiasts, but also engaged the wider public, encouraging dialogue, the exchange of ideas and interaction, harnessing the power of the arts to transcend barriers and facilitate intercultural communication.”

Dubai, UAE, November 27, 2016:  The 10th edition of the Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ exhibition, which concludes tomorrow, on Sunday 27th November, has proven to be The Cultural Office of HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s most successful yet.

The Award, which was first launched in 2006 to encourage, recognise and promote emerging artists from the UAE, received a record number of entries from artists across the UAE in all categories, including Fine Art, Photography, Multimedia and Design, as well as Architecture, newly-launched this year.

This year’s Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ exhibition has been the most well-received to date, attracting visitors from all over the world. Featuring 100 shortlisted artworks, up from 50 in previous years, the outdoor exhibition is currently taking place in the new phase two development of City Walk.

The 100 shortlisted artworks have been judged by a range of art influencers from prominent organisations and institutions within the region and beyond, and members of the public have been encouraged to cast their votes. They can vote for their favourite artwork at the exhibition as part of the ‘People’s Choice’ award by visiting www.youngartistaward.ae, or submitting their vote through interactive panels at the exhibition.

Visitors to the exhibition can also participate in the #ClickYAA Instagram photography competition. Unlike any of the other competition categories, #ClickYAA is open to entrants of all ages and provides members of the public with an opportunity to express their creativity and become winners by putting their best photos of the exhibition forward.

The ‘People’s Choice’ competition winner will be awarded a prize of AED 12,000, whilst the #ClickYAA winner, runner-up and second runner-up will receive AED 10,000, AED 5,000 and AED 3,000, respectively.

Mona Bin Kalli, Director of The Cultural Office of HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “This 10th edition of the exhibition has been a remarkable success and a major milestone in the history of the Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’. The exhibition has not only attracted hundreds of members of the arts community and art enthusiasts, but also engaged the wider public, encouraging dialogue, the exchange of ideas and interaction, harnessing the power of the arts to transcend barriers and facilitate intercultural communication. Reflecting Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s unwavering efforts to support the UAE’s arts movement and encourage artistic expression amongst young talents, the Award serves as an important platform for motivating emerging artists to push the boundaries of creativity and be recognised for their work.”

She continued: “As a unique, thriving open-air destination in the heart of Jumeirah, the new phase two development of City Walk has provided an ideal venue to showcase this work, within a vibrant setting. We’d like to thank everyone involved in making this successful event possible and wish all of our 100 shortlisted artists the best of luck.”

The 100 shortlisted artworks have been judged by Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, Hamad Khoory, architect and partner at the Loci Architecture & Design Studio, Venetia Porter, Assistant Keeper (Curator) - Islamic and contemporary Middle East at the British Museum in London, Ali bin Thalith, Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), Mohammed Saeed Harib, Founder of Lammtara Art Production and Cyril Zammit, Fair Director of Design Days Dubai.

The competition winners will be announced at a gala dinner on December 4th.

The Sheikha Manal ‘Young Artist Award’ is open to all UAE residents, young artists and students between the ages of 18-30 years old. The award prizes include AED 50,000 for first place, AED 30,000 for second place and AED 20,000 for third place.