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Dubai / Emirates Business
The Sovereign Art Foundation launched its coveted Art Prize in the MENA region, the most prestigious art prize for contemporary artists, in association with START.
Having executed 12 successful years of Art Prize events in Asia, most notably Hong Kong, this year the competition will arrive in the UAE for the very first time, culminating in a grand exhibition and dinner held on October 19th.
So far, The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) has raised over US$5.5 million, which has been distributed between both the participating artists and the charitable work of the Foundation. Partnering with START, a non-profit organisation which runs art-based workshops for orphans, refugees and special needs children across the MENA region, with the inaugural UAE event SAF aims to raise funds to sustain existing START projects in addition to helping in their mission to expand their reach to more vulnerable children.
The 2016 prize, which has the theme ‘Hope Takes Flight’, will come to a close with a glamorous invitation-only evening held at Dubai’s luxurious Armani Hotel. During the exclusive event, SAF and START will announce the winner who will receive $30,000 and auction the work of the other 29 finalists, with 40 percent of the funds raised going to the artist and the remaining 60 percent being donated to charity.
An independent board of nominees, made up of over 20 of the region’s independent art professionals were required to nominate all artists who will feature in the competition.