The Little Art successfully concluded the 18th ArtBeat National Child Art Exhibition and Prize Distribution Ceremony at Islamabad Art Gallery on 17 January 2026. The exhibition marked another significant milestone for ArtBeat, Pakistan’s largest and longest running visual arts initiative for children and young people.
ArtBeat 18 invited children from across Pakistan to respond creatively to three themes: Images of Nature, Spring in Pakistan, and Beyond the Stars. This year, thousands of artworks were received from over 500 schools across more than 100 cities, including submissions from public schools and children with special needs, reflecting the project’s strong commitment to inclusivity and equal access to arts education.
Following a rigorous selection process conducted by a distinguished jury of artists and educators, 85 outstanding artworks from the northern region, including Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Abbottabad, were selected for exhibition in Islamabad.
The jury panel for the 18th ArtBeat included Irfan Gul Dahri, Shireen Bano Rizvi, Ali Azmat, Waqas Khan, Kiran Saleem, and Najia Azmat, who evaluated submissions with a strong focus on originality, creativity, and the unique visual language of each child.
The opening ceremony was attended by an esteemed group of guests from the fields of visual arts, education, diplomacy, science, and music. Guests of honour included:
- Azam Jamal, Visual Artist and Sculptor, associated with fine art departments of various universities
- Zareen Gull, Visual Artist and Art Educationist, associated with fine art departments of various universities
- Aqeel Ahmed Solangi, Associate Professor and Head of Painting and Sculpture at NCA Rawalpindi, renowned visual artist and recipient of the Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Fellowship
- Nadia Batool Hussain, Visual Artist, Art Educator, Assistant Professor at NCA Rawalpindi
- Ms. Lovisa Hofmann, First Secretary at the Swedish Embassy in Pakistan, Human Rights Advocate and International Development Expert
- Yumna Majeed, Space Educator and Founder of “Exploration,” a STEAM initiative making space science accessible to youth
- Natasha Humera Ejaz, Singer Songwriter, Producer, and Voice Actor, and a prominent figure in Pakistan’s indie pop and folk jazz music scene
ArtBeat, initiated in 2012 by The Little Art, aims to nurture visual culture, encourage critical and creative thinking among children, and provide a meaningful platform for young voices across Pakistan. Over the past eighteen editions, ArtBeat has engaged tens of thousands of young artists nationwide.
The Little Art remains committed to empowering children and youth, particularly from under represented communities, through sustained access to arts education, creative expression, and cultural engagement
