The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award to conducts workshops on University Campuses

Representatives from The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award recently conducted special informational sessions at Dubai Women’s College, American University in Dubai and the Higher Colleges of Technology in Fujairah to share and discuss details of the competition as well as encourage the students to participate in the contest. The talks were attended by students from the Fine Arts and Communications Program. These roadshows marked the first of several scheduled university appearances over the course of the following months.

In an effort to inspire and support student interest in the Award, The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award has partnered with various local universities to host special thinking workshop centred on the Award, the entry process and rules and regulations. Students will also have the informal opportunity to present their art to the Awards committee for constructive feedback and guidance.

First launched in 2006, under the royal patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, UAE; The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award is an annual fine arts competition which aims to encourage, recognize and promote emerging artists from the UAE and is especially popular amongst university students majoring in Art, Design and Multimedia.

The contest is open to all UAE residents, male and female, between the ages of 18 to 30 years. One major criterion for the award is that the artist should not have had an independent solo exhibition previously.

Now in its sixth year, the competition has continuously grown with each edition. Last year saw the highest ever number of submissions with more than 300 entries from 12 different nationalities, reflecting the continued interest in art within the community and the role of H.H. Sheikha Manal’s Young Artist Award as the UAE’s most important award for young emerging artists.

The competition is divided into three categories:

Fine Art Category - Acrylic, Oil, Water Colour, Pastel, Ink, Sculpture, Ceramics, Glass, Print Making, Etching, Mixed Media

Photography Category - Black & White / Coloured Photographs captured by the artist with slight digital modification and printed on flat surfaces including Canvas, Silk, Acrylic Sheets

Multimedia Category - Digital Art, Video Art, Installation

Furthermore, after the nominations have been announced online, the public/visitors will have a chance to vote for their favourite art work at ‘The People’s Choice Award’ through the website’s online voting feature.

Young Artists Award 2011 entries will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges comprised of industry professional and practicing artists from the local and international art community. The panel will shortlist fifty artists for an exhibition followed by the winners being announced during the Gala Awarding Ceremony to be held in January 2012.