Lahore (Qasim Ali)
The National College of Arts (NCA) witnessed a jubilant celebration as the 15th ArtBeat Exhibition opened its doors, honoring the exceptional artistic achievements of children across Pakistan. The exhibition was opened by Prof. Sarwat Ali, Head of Studies, and Khalid Ibrahim, Head of Department of Architecture, National College of Arts (NCA) Lahore. Zamania Aslam Assistant professor Department of Art and Design, Comsats university, Mariam Hanif Visual Artist, Founder ArtSoch Gallery Lahore and Aun Raza Award winning french-pakistani photographer and visual story teller were guests of honor of award ceremony. A curated display of over 234 artworks on the themes of Autumn, Winter, Landscape, Colors and Abstract were showcased at the Zahoor Ul Akhlaq Gallery in NCA. This year, 234 schools and 45 community organizations from across Pakistan has participated in the 15th ArtBeat. This year themes were Autumn, Winter, Landscape, Colors and Abstract. The Jury of this year 15th ArtBeat consisted of Abdul Jabbar Gull (Sculptor and Artist, Karachi), Irfan Gul Dahri (Artist, Art Otaq/Numaish Gah, Lahore), Shireen Bano Rizvi (Department of Visual Arts, National College of Arts, Lahore), Ali Azmat (Artist, College of Art and Design, University of the Punjab), Sajjad Akram (Director, Nukta Studio, Islamabad; NCA Rawalpindi), Kiran Saleem (Visual Artist, Lahore; Department of Fine Arts, NCA Lahore), and Najia Azmat (Visual Artist, Lahore). Awards Distributed at the Ceremony; • 51 Cash Prize Winners across 5 age groups, showcasing their exceptional artistic prowess • Creative School Award and the Teacher’s Award of Excellence for Art Teachers, accompanied by Appreciation Certificates for Activity Coordinators • Embracing inclusivity by awarding 6 National Prizes to children with special needs, highlighting the platform’s dedication to honoring talent in diverse forms. • Tokens of encouragement included Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals for young artists, each reflecting their dedication and unique expression. • The top three winners received Tablets alongside trophies, while other prizes encompassed cash rewards, medals, and trophies, commemorating outstanding achievements in the realm of art. Awais Shafique, Project Manager, added, ‘This project underscores the significance of cultivating artistry, allowing each stroke of a paintbrush or creative impulse to weave stories, evoke emotions, and ignite societal discourse.’ ArtBeat – National Child Art Competition and Exhibitions is in its 15th edition now. The project was initiated in 2012 with a vision to promote visual culture, understanding of issues among children and youth from their own perspective, celebrate children as artists and present children’s views as a point of discourse for adults and the community. In the past 12 years, nearly 120,000 children have participated as artists in ArtBeat. *The exhibition is a free event open to the public and there is no need for any passes.
