Emirates Inflight Entertainment Keeps Young Flyers Entertained

School is out and summer holidays are underway, starting in August Emirates Inflight Entertainment system, ice (information, communications and entertainment), is specially-loaded with top-quality entertainment for our younger fliers.

Recent winner of the 2011 Skytrax ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment,’ ‘ice Digital Widescreen’ has the complete set of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movies; including the latest adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, exclusively available on Emirates this August before any other airline in the world.

Regardless of the traveller’s age, ice Digital Widescreen has programming to meet every need. With over 35 dedicated children’s TV channels, what pre-schooler can resist a complete channel dedicated to the world phenomena, The Wiggles? Or the much-loved international hits In the Night Garden, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends, Roary the Racing Car or the hugely successful first series of Rastamouse, from the BBC’s CBeebies Channel?

Emirates makes every flight enjoyable and offers an entire Cartoon Network channel where kids can see Ben 10 and the rest of their favourites; plus, Top Gear’s Richard Hammond joins us for his very own children’s show Richard Hammonds Blast Lab, those meddling kids are solving mysteries in What’s New Scooby Doo, and Wolverine and his X-Men carry on their fight with Magneto. ice Digital Widescreen also goes retro and introduces new generation to classic Tom and Jerry and Loony Tunes.

For older kids, ice Digital Widescreen features hit series Gossip Girl and Glee and also has the most expansive music collection in the sky. Straight from the top of the charts, Emirates offers a selection of new albums from Britney Spears, Nicole Scherzinger, Moby, Gorillaz, Foo Fighters, REM, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Jessie J, to name a few. There is also a world of international artists to discover, radio & podcast channels, and over 60 music videos, featuring some of today’s hottest artists.

In addition to premier television and music options, ice Digital Widescreen also boasts an impressive collection of over 30 Disney feature films – everything from classics such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, Bambi, Dumbo, and Beauty and the Beast, to the recent Disney/Pixar blockbusters Monsters Inc., WALL-E, Finding Nemo, Up, and Cars. Furthermore, Emirates offers the complete box sets of Toy Story 1, 2 and 3 as well as the Chronicles of Narnia. Hollywood’s latest animated and live-action family hits are also on board; including Kung Fu Panda 2, Rio, Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil, Rango, Mars Needs Moms, Gulliver’s Travels, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and much more. For every child, and those young at heart, Emirates ensures a variety of choices to create thoroughly entertaining flights for passengers of all ages.

Emirates has maintained its industry-leading position by continuously investing in and expanding its entertainment offering; resulting in an incredible range of movies, television and music from around the world. ice Digital Widescreen, offers a staggering choice of over 1200 channels of entertainment, including over 280 movies from around the world, hundreds of TV choices and thousands of music tracks from contemporary to classical. ‘ice Digital Widescreen’ is featured on all Emirates A380s and select Boeing 777s.
 

In Line With Her Vision To Encourage Young Emerging Artists Her Highness Sheikha Manal Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Extends Patronage To The Nomads Box Project

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 of Presidential Affairs, UAE, has extended her royal patronage to The “Nomad Box” Project Moving Art ; which opened today in The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residences. The Exhibition will be open to the public until 30 April, 2011.

The “Nomad Box” Project is a moving art exhibition that was first launched during Art Dubai 2010, as a cost effective exhibiting platform for young emerging artists in the UAE as an alternative to the traditional art galleries. This was achieved by transforming a shipping container into a portable art space that can be transported to various parts of the city for a public art showcase, encouraging people to interact and experience art in a new exciting medium.

As one of the foremost patrons of art in the UAE, and a keen supporter of young emerging artists, H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid’s involvement in this ambitious initiative reflects her personal belief in the importance of art and culture in community, and the positive ways which artist-driven initiatives, such as The “Nomad Box” Project, can contribute to making art more accessible and digestible to the general public.

In this occasion, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid said; “It is a pleasure to extend my patronage to this innovative and ambitious art project which is a testament to artistic and creative abilities of the budding UAE Youth. Guided by our wise leadership, the UAE has always been in the forefront of support for art and culture, motivated by the firm belief that sustainable economic growth goes hand in hand with social and cultural development. Initiatives such as The Nomad Box Project serves to further solidify the UAE’s position in this regard. I am positive that this exhibition will serve as an inspiration to many other young entrepreneurs to find imaginative new ways in which to our Nation’s vision.”

This concept is the brainchild of two Dubai-based young entrepreneurs passionate about the arts – Mona Fares & Shama Al Amri. Mona Fares and Shamma Al Amri met at Latifa College, Dubai, and graduated with BAs in Arts and Design in 2007. They have both participated in exhibitions locally and abroad. They began working on Nomads Box Project in 2008, inspired by the traditional culture of the nomadic people. The project encapsulates the idea that contemporary cultural traditions were born from a nomadic experience.

Now located in The Walk in Jumeirah Beach residences, opposite the Boutique 1 showroom, The Nomads Box Project will be open to the public daily until 30 April, 2011. The Exhibition is titled “Five Art Beats” and will feature five young artist from the UAE – Alia Bin Drai, Mariam Al Mazroui, Mona Fares, Noora Al Mazroui and Shamma Al Amri.
 

Young Entrepreneur Competition Opens With Exhibition Of Contesting Projects

Dubai SME, the entrepreneurship development agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED), launched the "Young Entrepreneur Competition 2011 (YEC)” exhibition in Dubai Mall today under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.

More than 2,500 young entrepreneurs are showcasing their projects in the exhibition, which is also supported by Du and Dubai Mall.

The exhibition is part of the Young Entrepreneur Competition (YEC), aimed at reinforcing entrepreneurial skills and aptitude among students in high schools, colleges and universities across the UAE. The competition will focus on providing insights into the comprehensive business environment of Dubai in order to encourage students to start their own businesses and drive innovations within a competitive environment.

“This strategic initiative is a strong platform to create a new business culture for young entrepreneurs and help them achieve their goals. The Young Entrepreneur Competition will further boost the SME sector in Dubai, thereby enhancing economic growth in the UAE", His Excellency Abdul Basit Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME.

"The event reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to develop the performance of the SME sector to be major supporter to the economic development in Dubai," Al Janahi added.

Al Janahi commended the remarkable support extended by Du and Dubai Mall to the YEC exhibition during successive years and said it showed a high level of commitment and social responsibility among national organisations to encouraging young leaders.

“The exhibition this year is focusing on skills of the participants in displaying their products professionally and according to modern standards adopted in marketing as well as managing the business, and on how to deal with customers and promote their products,” said Nisreen Safar, General Coordinator of the competition.

"Participants in this year’s exhibition were trained to pursue their projects with confidence and build successful businesses in the future in order to equip them with the necessary tools to cope with the challenges ahead. All projects submitted in the competition were evaluated as per global quality standards," Safar added.

Dubai SME recently conducted an introductory workshop for the participants to strengthen awareness about the exhibition, brief them on the new standards and provide details about the competition. Ten top-ranked projects will be named as winners in the competition.

Over the years, YEC has succeeded in encouraging entrepreneurial spirit among young UAE nationals. The contest also helps to build awareness among participants on the concept of small and medium enterprises and various business environments.

The Young Entrepreneur Competition was originally launched in 2005 with 49 projects and 114 participants participating in the inaugural event. It went up to 73 projects and 215 participants in 2006, 99 projects and 364 participants in 2007, 102 projects and 103 participants in 2008 and 279 projects and 971 participants in 2009. Last year saw an overwhelming participation in the competition with 2000 participants and 700 projects.

For further information, please visit www.yec.ae
 

The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award To Exhibit At Art Dubai

The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award announces its participation in the region’s leading contemporary art fair, Art Dubai 2011 and will be showcasing winning artworks from The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award 2010. The exhibition will run from 16 to 19, March 2011 at the Madinat Arena, part of the beachside resort Madinat Jumeirah.

Presented 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 of Presidential Affairs, UAE; this initiative was first launched in 2006, as an annual visual art competition which aims to encourage, recognize and promote emerging artists from the UAE. The award is popular amongst university students majoring in Art, Design and Multimedia.

Muna Bin Kalli, Executive Director of Dubai Ladies Club commented, “We are pleased to participate, for the third consecutive year, at Art Dubai 2011. Our booth will offer a unique opportunity for the public to view the winning artworks from The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award 2010 which showcases the diversity of visual art forms and young artists that are present within the UAE.”

During the exhibition, visitors will also be able to learn about the official launch of award competition for 2011. 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. The award grants the winning artists the exciting opportunity to exhibit their work in a solo showcasing and for the first time.

Bin Kalli added. “Since its inception five years ago, The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award has greatly contributed to advancing the art scene in the UAE and leading young artistic talent towards greater excellence and innovation. The philosophy behind this initiative is to recognize the creative and pioneering thinking that resides within the UAE. The arts have proven to enhance a person’s ability to appreciate a world steeped in diversity. And we believe that such art initiatives are essential for building innovative thinkers who will be the worlds’ leaders tomorrow. We are proud to be a part of this process.”

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. The prize money for the award totals AED180,000 with each category winner, runner up and second runner up will receive a cash prize worth AED30,000, AED20,000 and AED10,000 respectively.

Entering into its fifth year, Art Dubai is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai.

Art Dubai 2011 will be the largest, most dynamic edition of the fair to date, firmly establishing its role as the key meeting point for the art scenes of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region to engage with those of the international art world.

Featuring more than 82 galleries from over 34 countries, the fair will introduce MARKER, a dynamic new section of experimental stands curated by Nav Haq; the seminal Global Art Forum, a Gulf-wide collaboration, plus a new series of high-level collector talks; the third edition of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize, which has increased its number of winners from three to five; Les Voyages Extraordinaires, a museum-quality exhibition by Van Cleef & Arpels; and a series of exciting new projects that include more than 75 artists.
 

Young Emirati Artist Maisoon Al Saleh Explores The Bright Side Of The Bones In Her First Dubai Solo Exhibition At DUCTACs Gallery Of Light

Throughout the years, the image of the skull has been related primarily to morbid images of poison and danger. Yet through her second solo exhibition, taking place at DUCTAC’s Gallery of Light from 18th January – 2nd February 2011, 23 year-old Emirati artist Maisoon Al-Saleh is determined to reveal the skull’s other side and connotation. The work that makes up Al Saleh’s solo exhibition The Bright Side of the Bones II demonstrates how bones and remains can tell a story far beyond age and gender: they carry a person’s entire life, which man cannot see with his naked eye; and they reflect the imperceptible colours that reveal life within a painting’s dominant blacks and whites.

Through Al Saleh’s paintings, people are brought back to life with brush strokes; and with dedication, examination and scientific view, Al-Saleh visualizes human life and the array of diseases, diets, religious beliefs, genetic connections, class structure and conflicts that we face in our daily lives.

Maisoon Al-Saleh was born in 1988 in Dubai. Since 2008 her art has mixed the figurative and the surreal with her concerns for the modern and the traditional Emirati culture. This is her own unique signature, which continues to fascinate her viewers.

At the age of 16, an X-ray caused Al-Saleh to muse over the complexities of such visual transparency and the human body in general. As a result, she decided to explore this concept through her art. While depicting the dead, Al-Saleh tries to highlight the struggles faced by individuals during their lives. “Each painting has a story based on the realities surrounding me,” she says; and this sense of paradox is evident in all of her paintings.

Al-Saleh received her Interior Design degree from Dubai’s Zayed University in January 2010. Her work has been exhibited in the UAE in exhibitions including Emirati Expressions at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, Art Cars in Manarat Al Saadiyat, and at Al Bastakiya Art Fair 2010. Her work was recently included in the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah by H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Soud Al Qassimi. ‘The Bright Side of the Bones II’ is Al Saleh’s first solo exhibition in Dubai.

On 23rd January, Maisoon Al Saleh will be hosting a concept development workshop, which will give aspiring artists an insight into different ways of generating and representing ideas. Emirati artist Maisoon Al Saleh will share and demonstrate her own concept development process in creating unique and meaningful art. Students will explore methods to develop a concept for their own work and learn how to translate that concept into a working thesis, or artist’s statement.

The workshop is devised to compliment the exhibition and to offer the public an opportunity to enter into an active dialogue with the exhibiting artist.

Maisoon Al Saleh – The Bright Side of the Bones II

Dates: Tuesday 18th January – Wednesday 2nd February

Times: 9am – 10pm (Saturday to Thursday
2pm – 10pm (Fridays and Public Holidays)

Venue: Gallery of Light
DUCTAC
Level 2, Mall of the Emirates

Admission: Free

Concept Development by Maisoon Al Saleh

Date: Sunday, 23 January 2011

Time: 6 pm – 9 pm

Location: Manu Chhabria Arts Centre, DUCTAC

Workshop cost: AED 120
 

Majid Bin Mohammed Training Initiative Draws Significant Interest From Young Nationals During Careers UAE 2011

The Majid bin Mohammed Training Initiative is proving to be a pivotal success, as illustrated by the influx of candidates and the significant number of applications that have been received at the stand of The Private Office of His Highness Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at Careers UAE 2011.

Marwan bin Bayat, General Manager of the Office of HH Sheikh Majid, said: “Today’s business environment is constantly evolving and advancing, with immense pressure on organizations, employees, and potential candidates to stay versed with new developments. The initiative was conceptualized to equip UAE nationals with the tools required to stay on top of the competition and as a gateway into leading companies and a beneficial career.”

Visitors are able to interact with HR managers and recruitment executives from 10 leading global and national companies for a chance to join their ranks, with comprehensive assessments carried out by “Profiles International”, one of the prestigious partners. In a bid to ensure the highest standards feasible, and to aid in the selection process, candidates will undergo Psychometric testing that will objectively measure candidate attributes and subsequently direct their abilities along the most appropriate career path. A select 20 applicants will also be chosen to carry out a one week seminar to become ‘Certified Psychometric Assessors’ themselves.

Bin Bayat, added: “These assessments work to benefit the employer and the employee. The employer is given a competitive edge as they are able to select, hire, and retain great talent that will continue to develop over time; and the employees who will be directed to roles that match their skills, and their aptitudes, beginning their journey on the right path.”

The initiative is creating paramount opportunities for nationals as they are able to coalesce with prime organizations for a chance at an internship or career with leading organizations including the foremost four accounting and auditing firms in the world, "Deloitte", "Ernst & Young", “KPMG" and "Price Waterhouse Coopers", that will enhance their personal and technical skills for building a stronger career. Those interested in the medical field can apply with “EHL Health Systems Limited” (EHL) to train in management of healthcare facilities, including human resources, finance, marketing, IT, and patient administration. EHL has 68 hospitals worldwide, with two in Dubai, including The City Hospital and Wellcare Hospital, along with eight clinics.

Potential candidates will also have the opportunity to train with "IMG", and the leading national organizations, "Desert Group", the Emirates Medical Group, "Sharaf DG," and “Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah Group of Companies”. These, along with the initiative’s other partners, represent the standards and quality of opportunity the initiative hopes to provide for nationals.

The importance of training had been expressed by the participating partners, who stress the importance benefits of training. Companies continually seek out candidates who have developed their skills through training and experience. This consequently relates to the Majid bin Mohammed Training Initiative’s core value, in presenting the opportunity for nationals to access the adequate tools that will enhance their careers.

The Majid bin Mohammed Training Initiative includes three training programmes including The Management Training Program, the National Coaching Program, the Initiatives Management Training to maximise their development in the work force through training, education, and experience.

Applications and interviews for admission into the three different programs will be carried out during Careers UAE 2011, 21-23 March, at the pavilion of the Private Office of His Highness Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

 

The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award Announces Call For Entries

Held 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 2011 is now open for entries.

First launched in 2006, 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. The award grants the winning artists the exciting opportunity to exhibit their work in a solo showcasing and for the first time.

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.

“We are pleased to organize this competition for the sixth consecutive year,” said Muna Bin Kalli, Executive Director of Dubai Ladies Club. “Since its inception six years ago, the Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award has greatly contributed to advancing the art scene in the UAE and leading young artistic talent towards greater excellence and innovation. The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award has attracted a high quality of entries in the past and has generated great enthusiasm and excitement. We hope many more will take advantage of this contest which not only rewards the emerging artists but also encourages them with recognition and support .’’

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.

The application process will be conducted via the competition website www.youngartistaward.ae. Interested participants can follow the instructions on the website to make their online submission. The deadline to apply and upload entries is 30th of November 2011.

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 art works for an exhibition followed by the winners being announced during the Gala Awarding Ceremony to be held in January 2012.
 

Bedouin Philanthropist Donates One Million Dirhams To Young Future Energy Leaders

Bedouin philanthropist, Mohammed Salem Bin Kardous Al-Ameri, has signed a one million dirhams gift agreement with Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. The donation, which is the first Masdar Institute has ever received from a private individual, will contribute towards the Young Future Energy Leaders program (YFEL 2011), aninitiative led by Masdar Institute . YFEL helps mentor young professionals and students in the fields of alternative energy by engaging them inrelated activities.

Preceded by a tour of Masdar Institute,Mohammed Al-Amerisigned the gift agreement with, Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President of Masdar Institute, recently at the campus. Following a distinguished military career, Mohammed Al-Ameri has dedicated his life to encouraging future generations in the UAE to be equipped with knowledge, be committed to their religion, and to maintain their customs and values.

President of Masdar Institute, Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, said: “We would like to extend our gratitude to Mohammed Salem Bin Kardous Al-Ameri. We are delighted to have received our first ever gift from a private individual. This gift will enable us to strengthen the YFEL program, encouraging more young people to take an interest in renewable energy and sustainability.”

Mohammed Salem Bin Kardous Al-Ameri, said: “Young Future Energy Leaders is an organization that shares my values and a commitment to the next generation. Engaging with and nurturing younger people, particularly in the field of renewable energy and sustainability, is vital for the future of the UAE and beyond. My contribution is just a small gesture of what all of us can do. I hope others are encouraged to support educational organizations like Masdar Institute and their Young Future Energy Leaders Program.”
 

Minister Of Culture, Youth And Community Development Calls On Young Authors To Produce More Creative Works

Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development announced that regular meetings would be held to bring together young creators with critics and media people with UAE and Arab literary expertise.

These meetings will become a salon culture taking place constantly as part of the ministry’s activities to connect young creative writers with well known writers and literary figures.

The idea developed during the Minister’s meeting with young authors that aims to recognize the aspirations of these young people and their ideas and their vision for the future. The Minister also addressed the challenges faced by young writers and helped them in overcoming them.

Al Owais called on the young creators whose works were published by the ministry to produce more artistic, literary and remarkable works.

Al Owais also called those responsible for mentoring the writers and publishing in the ministry to monitor the young author’s productions closely so that the Ministry can help boost the young people’s creativity and develop the cultural scene in the country.

The "Young Creations" series aims to support the UAE youth’s creativity, develop their potential, point them in the right path for distinction and help evolve a new generation of creators.
– The series accepts all works of young creators in several areas, including poetry, short stories and literary criticism, novel, theater, and studies in addition to children’s literature, photography, painting and caricature.

This series started last year and has so far published 21 books in literary and artistic fields. Some of the works are protected by copyright. The published works are free of charge and are available through the Ministry’s various outlets.

Within the current vibrant cultural scene in the UAE, there are other creative projects across the country such as "Qalam" (Pen) and "Kalema" (A word) and other projects by the Mohamed Bin Rashid Establishment and others.
 

Public Exhibition Of Shortlisted Works For The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award 2010 Is Now Open

An art exhibition of shortlisted entries for The Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award 2010 is now open to the public. The exhibition, which is being held in The Art Centre at Dubai Ladies Club, features 50 artworks by young Emirati and UAE resident artists and is open to male and female visitors from Sunday, 16th January 2011 until Saturday, 22nd January 2011 from 10 am to 9 pm.

On the occasion Muna Bin Kalli, Executive Director of Dubai Ladies Club commented, “The standard of art this year has once again escalated and this exhibition showcases the diversity of visual art forms and young artists that are present within the UAE. The motivation behind the Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award was to promote excellence in the art field, which is considered the basis of a nation’s advancement, and the character that gives each nation its own identity & culture. The award has already been a significant achievement, not only in terms of encouraging young artists, but also in advancing the art scene in the UAE and to ensure the development of young artistic talents and leading them towards greater excellence and innovation.”

The opening was attended by VIP guests comprising of representatives from the Judges Panel and other distinguished members of the local and international art community.

In line with the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this competition is an annual visual art competition which aims to encourage, recognize and promote emerging artists from the UAE and is popular amongst university students majoring in Art, Design and Multimedia.

Now in its fourth year, this year’s competition has seen 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 The Sheika Manal 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. The prize money for the award totals AED180,000 with each category winner, runner up and second runner up will receive a cash prize worth AED30,000, AED20,000 and AED10,000 respectively.

The shortlisted entries will be reviewed by a distinguished panel comprised of prominent figures from organizations and institutions within UAE who are playing a critical role in the encouragement and promotion of art. They are prominent academics, art patrons and artists which includes Jack Persekian, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation; Antonia Carver, Fair Director of Art Dubai; William Lawrie, Expert in Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art; Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Founder of Barjeel Art Foundation and Jassim Al Awadhi, Emirati photographer, Chairman of UAE Photography Club. The winning artists will be announced during the Gala Award Ceremony to be held on Thursday, 27th January 2011.

Furthermore, following the opening of the exhibition on Sunday, 16th January 2011, the public will have a chance to vote for their favourite art work for ‘The People’s Choice Award’ through the website’s online voting feature. The People’s Choice Award is distinctive in that it is the only award that is not conferred by the jury. Rather, it is bestowed on the finalist artist whose work receives the most public votes.

To view the 50 shortlisted entries and to submit your vote for ‘The People’s Choice Award’ please visit www.youngartistaward.ae.