The Department of Painting and Printmaking at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s Division of Art and Theater, has announced the opening of nominations for the 2024-2025 Fine Art Award for high school students in Qatar.
The competition, titled ‘God is Beautiful and Loves Beauty: A Dialogue on the Concept of Beauty in Arab and Islamic Culture,’ invites students to explore the concept of beauty as expressed in nature, Islamic art, ethics, and the pursuit of knowledge, inspired by the hadith: ‘God is Beautiful and Loves Beauty.’
Dr Aissa Deebi, Director of the Department of Painting and Printmaking at VCUarts Qatar, stated, ‘We are partnering with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education on this competition to nurture and develop an interest in fine arts among high school students in Qatar. We hope the introduction of this new award will contribute to opportunities for students at the high school level to explore their creativity, engage with a top art and design school, and perhaps be recognised on the national stage.’
VCUarts Qatar’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Painting and Printmaking prepares students to become accomplished artists with independent, professional practices. The programme emphasises contemporary art, encouraging experimentation, intellectual inquiry, and collaboration across various art forms, including drawing, painting, sculpture, new media, and printmaking.
The competition is now open for entries, with a submission deadline of 10 February 2025. An official announcement of the winners and an exhibition showcasing the top works will follow later that month. For more information and participation guidelines, contact [email protected].
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