On the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 10th annual Abu Dhabi Festival, the region’s foremost cultural event, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) presented the ADMAF Creativity Award in a special ceremony attended by H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research and H.E. Mrs. Hoda Ibrahim Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival and Dr Karim El Solh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital.
This award was presented to Hamda Rubaya Khamis Busamah, a Zayed University Visual Arts undergraduate who used a powerful, site-specific sculpture to evoke memory and the senses in an exploration of the roles that girls perform within the family unit. The winner received AED 15,000; the runners-up AED 5,000 each, and the remaining 8 finalists certificates of recognition.
Presented in association with Chopard and Gulf Capital, the ADMAF Creativity Award was introduced in 2004 to support young national talent at Abu Dhabi’s public universities. The Award spotlights emerging talent among young UAE creatives and recognizes the commitment of public education institutions in nurturing their abilities and creative skills. For the 2013 edition, the Award received a record 32 imaginative entries from federal university students. Runners-up include UAE University student Yaser Al Neyadi for the film ‘Dreams of Rice’; and Maitha Demithan, also of Zayed University, for her photographic work ‘The 40 Day.’
H.E. Mrs. Hoda I. Al Khamis – Kanoo, Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, reflected on the initiative, saying: “As a platform for regional artists, we developed the ADMAF Creativity Award initiative to help shine a spotlight on emerging artists. In our efforts to instill a culture of art appreciation in the Emirates, it is essential we start by celebrating our own local talent.”
Dr Karim El Solh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital said: “Gulf Capital is proud to be sponsoring and supporting the ADMAF Creativity Award to young regional artists. We believe that youth and culture are important for the development of our communities and for the future of the region. We are delighted to support universities, NGOs and other organisations in nurturing the creative abilities of our youth.”
The Abu Dhabi Festival has recognized and supported young artists since its inception. The next award presentation will be the inaugural Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, in partnership with ADMAF and NYU Abu Dhabi, designed to encourage the creation of new works of visual art in the UAE and act as a launching pad for visual artists across the Emirates.
Ticket sales
Purchase points include http://www.timeouttickets.com/abudhabifestival, the Abu Dhabi Festival Box Office at the Emirates Palace is open from 1pm – 7pm daily. For further details, call the Abu Dhabi Festival info hotline number +971 50 907 6158.
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