The largest gathering of young, imaginative minds occurred at the Annual Student Art Show in Dubai last week. The GCC as a whole was captivated by the event that took place at De Montfort University on November 4, 5, and 6. The younger generation will shine brightly in the vast sky of creative possibilities and are the creative spirit’s repository.
The Annual Student Art Show (ASAS), organized by Funun Arts, Youth Creative Minds, and De Montfort University, was exceptional in many ways, drawing an astounding 600 spectators, 350 of whom represented 40 different nations. The purpose of the event was to gather young and creative people on one stage and allow them to display their ingenuity on any one of the 17 SDGs related to sustainability. The event planners have provided every chance to develop creative talents at every event stage.
The founder and CEO of Funun Arts, Shiba Khan, stated: “The ASAS is the outcome of extensive research. It is difficult to plan an event for students. They are the new generation, and as such, they are quite receptive to new ideas and opportunities. We had to conduct an in-depth study on the issue and organize the activity, so the kids would find it interesting and innovative. There should be a challenge and enjoyment at the same time. There needs to be data to satisfy their inquisitive minds as well. All of this was carefully combined into the ASAS.”
The two youngest members of the group, Maryam Sarfraz Khan and Mohd Azaan Mehtab Khan, who are five and six years old, respectively, opened ASAS. Khan recited verses from the Quran. According to one of the parents, “Funun Arts wanted to show us, parents, too. Because they had no inhibitions, the youngest was the most confident. Starting at an early age, we may lay a solid foundation for our children to stand on and walk on with confidence.”
Along with Shiba Khan and motivational speaker and coach Bassam Nader, Khan Ayaan Abdulla served as the event’s host.
The jury members, who individually assessed all of the submissions and chose the best, were the only attendees on the first day of ASAS. Ahmed Hylouz, Ahmad Al-Awadhi, Samar Kamel, and Shiba Khan made up the jury panel. Due to the massive number of submissions, the judges decided to spend an entire day reviewing them. One of the jury members, Al Awadhi, expressed his amazement at the event’s grandeur and scope. “The youngsters’ ingenuity, skill, and methods never cease to astound me,” he remarked. “They never cease to astound us with new artistic creations. My time at ASAS made me proud of the students’ brilliance as well as their social responsibility and consciousness.”
Suhail Mohammad Al Zarooni, head of the Al Zarooni Foundation and Al Zarooni Group of Companies, officially opened the Annual Student Art Show. Suhail Mohammad Al Zarooni said he was astounded to observe Funun Arts’ steadfast dedication and devotion over the years. He said, “The younger generation picks up knowledge from the older, therefore, it seems sensible that fresh creative minds exhibit the same mentality.” He stated his unwavering support for Funun’s upcoming endeavors, which will transcend all limitations and elevate art and creativity to a new level.
Shiba Khan gave her opinion on this unusual endeavor, referring to ASAS as a “dream project.” “The crew that put in a lot of effort over four months is the foundation of ASAS,” she continued. She acknowledged De Montfort University and the 24 mentors as their biggest supporters in making the event a success. Khan expressed gratitude to the sponsors, partners, designers, sponsors, and media members who supported ASAS throughout.
The exhibition’s art gallery was entirely constructed by Al Saqf Al Lamia Technical Services using repurposed wood. Funun’s philosophy for building the art gallery was “best out of waste.” They used wood and scrap from construction sites, which became the best instances of sustainability. Alif Designs provided digital support for the event. Mont Marte provided the art supplies for the event. The Annual Student Art Show has Light It Forward as its CSR partner, Project Gateway as its supporting partner, and Nature’s Cart as its hospitality partner.