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Dubai is, undeniably, a city with art at its heart – you can see it in the many scattered gallery districts, the street murals that decorate its sleeves and in the creative cauldron of its artistic community.

It’s to this collective of inspiring and inspired souls, that the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Waterfront Market have issued a challenge – the Waterfront Market’s Murals & Art Competition. Back for 2023, the competition aims to seek out the next Banksy or Shepard Fairey, creatives with aspirations to see their mural pieces permanently splashed high and proud at the Waterfront Market, alongside the work of previous winners.

Time is almost up

The good news for the region’s creatives is that the deadline for submissions to the competition has been extended. But you’ll need to work fast, the 2023 window for your shot at mural immortality closes on December 12.

Making Bank(sy)

Beyond the Waterfront Market wasta, the fame, exposure, notoriety and being able to see your work on a magnificent canvas unveiled at Dubai Art Season 2024 to an audience of admirers and privileged peers, there’s also a cash prize. A handsome Dhs30,000 will go to the eventual mural maestro, to spend on whatever they wish.

A theme emerges

The theme this year is around ‘Art for Change’ – with a specific focus on environmental issues. Artworks should evoke the sense of a sustainable future, demonstrate the importance of an ecological conscience and aim to send seismic ripples of empowerment for the green cause.

Judge, jury and execution of concept

Decisions on the submissions will be presided over by a distinguished panel of judges, selected for their dedication to the local art scene. Members of the judging team will include Khalil Abdulwahid Hassan, Director of the Fine Arts Department at Dubai Culture, Maitha Al Marri, and Lachlan Gyde, Executive Director – Asset Manager, at Nakheel.

Decisions will be made in consideration of the fact that the competition represents an important element within the local art scene and that it is a crucial mechanism for fostering connections between artists and art enthusiasts in the UAE.

Artists can submit their work at murals.waterfrontmarket.ae/participate. For more information on the competition, visit murals.waterfrontmarket.ae

Images: Provided