Sharjah Children Biennial receives 792 artworks in its fifth edition

A total of 792 artworks from 1663 children representing 27 Arab and foreign nationalities have been received for the fifth edition of Sharjah Children Biennial (SCB), according to Sharjah Children Centres.

Themed ‘A World as Big as Your Imagination’, the forthcoming edition of the SCB is taking place for one month from January 15, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs.

There were 687 individual submissions, while 976 children submitted their artworks in groups. Of the 105 groups, 34 comprised 420 children from the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan, and 8 were made up of 36 children from Dar Zayed Orphanage in the Maldives.

This edition of SCB is aimed at enhancing children’s engagement and interaction in three competition categories: architecture design, environment, and fantasy and reality. In addition, the series of workshops conducted by Sharjah Children Centres in the lead-up to SCB in October and November, reaching 882 talented young artists both in the UAE and abroad, has helped ensure the high standard of art as seen in all the submissions, whether from groups or individuals.

"This edition, we have seen more children opting to work in groups rather than submit individually, which is an excellent reflection of our focus on teamwork and collaboration in the preparations to SCB. We followed a community-based approach where we highlighted the importance of working together, and encouraged children to share their ideas and artworks with their peers, families, and communities," said Dana Al Mazrouei, Curator of Sharjah Children Biennial.

Al Mazrouei added, "The fact that the UAE submitted the largest number of artworks is not purely because it is the host country for the biennial, it also illustrates the nurturing, creative environment the nation provides for young talent. The biennial’s host city, Sharjah, has been committed for decades to fostering artistic, educational and cultural understanding in its youth. Sharjah Children Centres in particular, is considered a pioneering initiative in promoting creativity and encouraging artistic and creative flair among children and young adults in the emirate."

The artworks were a tribute to the children’s understanding of a variety of issues affecting their realities in the Arab region and around the world, whether be it world peace, maintaining a healthy environment, or creating unique infrastructures.

From the UAE, 615 children sent their artworks, followed by 420 children from Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan, 110 children from India, 67 children from Egypt, 39 from Ukraine, and 37 from the Maldives. Other artworks were submitted by children from Syria, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, the Comoro Islands, France, USA, Ireland, Turkey, Spain, Canada, Nigeria, Chad, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.