Sharjah, February 10, 2019 – Through its sixth edition, the Sharjah Children Biennial (SCB), is changing the way children approach their art. Several months ago, this one-of-a-kind artistic platform in the region invited young artists all over the world to invent their version of the future under the biennial’s theme: ‘A Future as Big as Your Imagination’.

At a press conference held yesterday (Saturday) at 1971 Design Space at The Flag Island in Sharjah, SCB’s organising committee announced that they have received 3,494 art submissions from 13 countries, by children and young adults in the 6 – 18 years age group, each proposing an invention idea to tackle a future challenge.

The organising committee has picked 48 of these from 6 countries, and handed them over to its dedicated team of artists, designers, and multimedia experts who will bring the visions of young artists to life as prototypes, models, and real inventions, which will be on display at the Biennial’s exhibition from February 20 – March 20 at Mughaider Children’s Center for Arts in Sharjah.

Speaking at the conference, Reem BinKaram, President of the SCB, said: “No joy compared to that we experienced when we made kites out of paper and strings. It was that spark of creativity and imagination, which nudged us to explore our world. These little discoveries open a window to more thoughts and ideas, and make children peek within to discover the innate potential inside them.

“These experiences shape young minds, and must be encouraged to help children discover their talents and develop them in ways that will lead to their future success. The sixth Sharjah Children Biennial, which is slated for a 20 February inaugural, is designed not only to nurture the creativity and artistic talents of children and young adults, but develop an understanding of the beauty that is found in the everyday,” she added.

Revealing the details of the sixth edition, Nashwa Al Ghassani, Vice President of SCB, said: “We have received a total of 3,494 entries, including 435 from the UAE, 2,000 from China, 808 from the UK, 165 from Argentina, 38 from Lebanon, 16 from Saudi Arabia, 16 from Bangladesh, 6 from Ireland, 3 each from Egypt and France, 2 from Sudan, and finally, one each from Kuwait and Australia.”

The UAE tops the final selections chart with 17 artworks making the final cut, followed by the UK’s 11, China with 10, 6 from Ireland, and 3 from Saudi Arabia. Theme-wise representation of the submitted works include 24 under ‘Helping Others’, 12 in the ‘Environment’ category, and the third theme, ‘Entertainment and Creativity’ is represented by 12 invention ideas.

The press conference was attended by HE Reem BinKaram, President of the SCB; Nashwa Al Ghassani, Vice President of SCB; Dana Al Mazroui, Founder of ‘Yellow Space’ – the official partner of ‘Little Inventors’ in the Middle East; and Salem Ali Al Ghaithi, Manager of Sharjah TV representing the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (Official Media Partner), in addition to children, and several media representatives.

Month-long celebrations and activities across the UAE

The biennial exhibition will feature daily artistic workshops for young visitors, from Sunday to Wednesday, in the morning and evening. Throughout the month-long biennial, a range of fun-filled activities will be organised every Thursday evening at the Mughaider Children Center’s backyard.

Roaming art workshops will also be organised, every Friday and Saturday, across the UAE throughout the one-month event. Al Qasba, Sharjah’s popular entertainment and family destination will host workshops on February 22-23. Al Zorah Marina 1 in Ajman will host theirs on March 1-2, while Last Exist Al Khawaneej in Dubai will be the venue for workshops on March 8-9. In Fujairah, they will be conducted at the Fujairah Mall on March 15-16.

Yesterday’s press conference featured a special arts corner for children, to try their hand at a ‘mascot making’ assignment. From the mascot ideas that have been submitted by participating children, one will be selected as the official SCB 6 mascot, and revealed at the edition’s opening ceremony on February 20.

Salem Ali Al Ghaithi’s comments at the press conference highlighted the important role of SCB’s collaboration with Sharjah Radio and TV Authority in promoting the important role of the Biennial. “This month-long artistic and cultural exhibition is an ideal opportunity to discover, promote and nurture young artistic talents around the world, and we will be doing our best to take SCB’s creative message far and wide.”

The sixth edition of the prestigious event is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) and Chairperson of Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators.

SCB 6 is organised by Sharjah Children, a subsidiary of Rubu’ Qarn Foundation, in collaboration with the UK-based Little Inventors, a global art project dedicated to turning children’s innovative ideas into real inventions.

In preparation for this year’s edition, SCB conducted a series of workshops in seven countries across the world where more than 3, 900 children and young people were engaged. The workshops were held at various schools, community centres and museums, including the Design Museum in London, National Saturday Club, Heath Robinson Museum, The Nerve Centre, the Science Museum, the Apple Store – Regent Street, the Northern Children Book Festival, and other public venues in the UK. In China, the workshops were held in kindergartens, schools, Macaw University, Renaissance College Hong Kong, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, and the Wuhan D + M industrial Design Center.

The workshops stimulated children to think of variable factors such as technological advancements and population growth, among others. The ideas of the young artists were evaluated to identify their strengths and the potential to turn them into innovative inventions that would help find solutions to future challenges.

Sharjah Children Biennial aligns in its goals with the emirate’s vision that aims to promote the aesthetic values of art in younger generations and brush up their cultural and artistic skills and talents.  SCB also aims to nurture a generation of creative artists who can contribute to their country’s drive of development. SCB’s objectives also reflect the UAE vision to become a world leader in innovation and creativity.