Dubai, 27 March 2015: The Cultural Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bint Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday unveiled a special art exhibition for the public at BOXPARK by Meraas on Al Wasl Road, Dubai that celebrates the talents of promising young Emirati artists. Held as part of The Sheikha Manal Art Exchange Program, the exhibition features the works of 10 female Emirati arts students who had recently visited Hong Kong as part of an enriching art program centred on the world-renowned Art Basel fair.

This exhibition serves as a further expression of H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's commitment to provide budding Emirati artists the opportunity to reach out to the world and gain valuable exposure for their artwork. As the foremost patron of arts in the UAE, Her Highness has been a pioneer in her efforts to transform the country into a vibrant centre for artistic and cultural excellence, and developing a strong local talent pool is central to realizing this vision, said Mona Bin Kalli, Director of The Cultural Office. The Sheikha Manal Art Exchange Program has been instrumental in shaping the arts and cultural landscape in the UAE, creating a vibrant network of promising Emirati artists who constantly strive to push the boundaries of creative excellence. Providing them an opportunity to put their art in front of a wide audience brings to a logical culmination the creative and cultural journey these young talents undertook as part of the program.

The unique aesthetic experience created by the artistic works on display each bristling with verve and imagination gives enough indications that these students will be at the forefront of creative arts in the UAE in the years to come, she added. The art exhibition will run until 4 April 2015 at BOXPARK on Al Wasl Road, whose unique high-street personality not only lends to the young and urban aesthetics of the artworks on display, but also serves as a fitting public setting for the exhibition.

The art exhibition in Dubai follows a visit by participants of the exchange program to the city of Hong Kong, which provided them an opportunity to share experiences and ideas with an international art community. During their trip, the students experienced the acclaimed Art Basel fair as well as prominent art establishments in the city such as the Osage Gallery, HK Museum of Art, Savannah School of Art & Design (SCAD), Hong Kong Design Institute, HK Museum of History, Asia Art Archive and Sam Tung Uk Museum. The Official Carrier of the Hong Kong edition was Emirates Airlines.
The Sheikha Manal Art Exchange Program is a series of educational partnerships with renowned institutions and organisations, whose primary goal is to inculcate and recognise creativity in the realm of art and culture. It was founded by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - President of Dubai Women Establishment and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, UAE - as a significant initiative designed to foster genuine understanding, respect and appreciation between diverse cultures.