H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has visited the second National Art Expressions exhibition, organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). The exhibition, which is open to the public, is taking place at Manarat Al Saadiyat until 15 March 2024.

During the visit, His Highness toured the exhibition, which showcases a selection of more than 1,000 works by more than 1,500 Abu Dhabi students from public, private and charter schools in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Khaled emphasised the role of the event in supporting and promoting the talents of young Emirati artists while preserving and promoting UAE cultural heritage.

He highlighted the importance of organising cultural and artistic events to help strengthen the emirate’s creative ecosystem as a cornerstone of a thriving society and economy.

The exhibition showcases students’ talents across visual, applied, performing and craft and folk arts. To mark the opening of the exhibition, 69 students from six Abu Dhabi schools performed the national anthem. The students were the winners of the National Anthem Performance Competition, as part of the Performing Arts pathway of the programme, which saw the participation of more than 200 school music bands.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed was accompanied by Sara Awad Issa Musallam, Minister of State for Early Education and Chairperson of ADEK; Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi; and Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

For its 2024 edition, the exhibition has seen significant growth, with 198 schools taking part this year, compared to 29 schools in the inaugural event in 2023. The inclusive spread of participating schools also expanded from private and charter schools to include public schools and People of Determination institutions. The number of art teachers involved rose from 32 to more than 200 and the number of professional artists engaged increased from 6 to 15 local and international experts.

ADEK has also collaborated with Louvre Abu Dhabi and Warehouse 421 to feature students’ artworks at dedicated exhibitions, reflecting the entity’s commitment to supporting and promoting up and coming Emirati talent. Additionally, the Department of Municipalities and Transport will be displaying students’ artworks across school murals and public facilities.

ADEK has also confirmed plans to further expand the programme in future editions to enable students and teachers to develop across additional art pathways through experiential masterclasses by local and international artists.