Mall Gives Artists and Designers Center Stage

Art transcended commerce on the third weekend of January at the Al-Aali Art Festival, which saw a bustling mall transformed into an audio-visual feast.

Over 120 talented youth showcased their artwork, while fashion shows featuring clothing lines by young designers were held each morning. In the evenings, local bands played original compositions. One participating artist, Ali Mirza, confided, “I’ve received so much admiration for my work, it’s encouraged me to continue it further.”

Launched in 2012 and hosted by the Aali Mall management, The Palm Association and the Aisha Al-Yateem Centre for women, the festival has become an annual event that raises awareness of the importance of the arts and introduces budding talents to the public. 20 percent of any art piece purchased was donated to the Palm Society’s “Feed a family” program, and participating artists held a workshop for special needs children, whose artwork was also auctioned to raise funds for charity.

The celebration also invited children to discover the pleasures of art. Kids as young as five finger-painted and sculpted modeling clay, while older kids made crafts from recycled materials and designed their own superheroes.

For more info – Al-Aali’s website