Dubai Canvas 3D Art Award set up

Mona Al Marri, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office

Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, today announced Dubai Canvas 3D Art Award - the world’s first award that recognizes creative excellence in 3D art.

The new award was launched by the Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office Mona Al Marri at a press conference held on the first day of the Dubai Canvas Festival 2016.

The Award, which carries a total prize money of Dh2.3 million ($650,000), invites submissions from artists all over the world under the theme of ‘Happiness’. A jury comprised of renowned international and local artists will evaluate the submissions to name three winners.

The winners will be honoured at a ceremony at the next Dubai Canvas Festival to be held in 2017. Awards in two special categories – ‘Best Emirati Participation’ and ‘People’s Choice’ – will also be given away at the event. The ‘People’s Choice’ award will be based on votes from the public.

Mona Al Marri said: “The Award aims to promote creative excellence in 3D art not only by recognizing great artistic work but also by raising interest and appreciation for this unique art form. The initiative reflects Dubai’s rising status as a global cultural hub and its keenness to provide a supportive environment for art and artists to flourish. This new initiative also complements one of Dubai Canvas Festival’s key objectives of supporting the development of artistic talent both in the UAE and across the world.”  

To enter the Award, artists should submit original and fresh works of art never displayed before. The organisers will start receiving entries from 15 April 2016. A shortlist for the Award will be announced on 15 November 2016.

Al Marri further said: “The choice of ‘Happiness’ as the Award theme is inspired by the UAE’s own focus on people’s happiness as one of its most important goals. The theme also reflects Dubai’s objectives of becoming a city of happy, creative and empowered people and a preferred place for people from across the world to live, work and visit.”

Detailed criteria and guidelines for the Award, developed by the jury, will be announced soon. Technical specifications for the entries will also be published soon on Brand Dubai’s website.

At the press conference, Arif Mubarak, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Properties’ Asset Management, Dubai Properties Group thanked Brand Dubai for giving JBR the opportunity to host the second edition of the Dubai Canvas Festival.

This year’s Dubai Canvas Festival will see over 60 works of 30 artists from countries across the world being exhibited in an area stretching over two kilometres in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). Some of the world’s most renowned 3D artists are participating in the Festival including the inventor of 3D street art Kurt Wenner; New York-based artist and cyborg activist Neil Harbisson; Dutch pop-surrealist artist Leon Keer; Portuguese street artist Odeith; London-based graffiti artist Fanakapan; Chinese street artist Qi Xinghua; and Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra.

The public visiting the Festival will have numerous opportunities to watch master street artists at work. Various events on the Festival’s sidelines will enable the public to interact closely with the artists and gain an understanding of their techniques, use of materials and creative approach. Leading international artists will also conduct workshops aimed at imparting both advanced and basic street art skills to artists and the general public.

The Festival is free to attend for the public. The two-week festival will run from 1 March to 14 March 2016 and will be open from 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm on weekdays and from 10.00 am to 11.00 pm on the weekend.

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