Ellington Art Foundation, an initiative by Dubai’s leading design-led property developer Ellington Properties, has extended the deadline to submit nominations for ‘The Arts of The Silk Road’ competition until November 21, 2020.

Launched last month to nurture aspiring and emerging talent in the UAE, ‘The Arts of The Silk Road’ competition has already received significant interest from local artists and gained a large number of submissions from artists, photographers and designers. The most popular category is painting, followed by photography and installations.

This announcement follows on the several requests that Ellington Art Foundation has received from artists who are keen to participate and showcase their work. It aims to encourage more local artists to be part of this nationwide art competition and to provide additional time to conceptualise and fine tune their submissions. Participants will have the opportunity to enhance their visibility by showcasing their inspirational work permanently at one of Ellington Properties’ award-winning residential projects, Wilton Terraces.

Laura Bielecki, Senior Interior Design Manager, Ellington Properties, said: “With the extension of the deadline, we are offering more creative artists the opportunity to showcase their work. Through this competition, we are looking for aspiring and upcoming artists to join the league of featured creators who have contributed to the Ellington Art Foundation. We felt it was important to extend the deadline to provide participants ample time to explore their innate artistic freedom and submit their best work of art for Wilton Terraces, one of our finest residential developments.”

Artists, photographers and designers can submit their concepts under various categories including paintings, photographs, sculptures and installation. The entries are required to display a fusion of oriental and occidental cultures using neutral palette and earth tones. The contest is open to all UAE residents aged 18 and over.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of industry veterans including Juan Roldan, AUS Associate Professor; Esra Lemmens, Art Director; Louise Duggan, Art Consultant; Robert Booth, Managing Director, Ellington Properties; and Laura Bielecki, Senior Interior Design Manager, Ellington Properties. For further details visit Ellington Art Foundation.

Ellington Properties will award the winning individual or group of artists a premium, permanent exhibiting space within Wilton Terraces, plus financial means to craft their masterpieces.

‘The Arts of The Silk Road’, competition is in line with Ellington Art Foundation’s goal of promoting the UAE’s creative scene and supporting the nation’s vision to be a global centre for art and design. Since the foundation’s inception, over 400 pieces of art forms including photography, paintings, sculpture and installations have been commissioned to regional aspiring and recognised artists. Some of the art installations and pieces curated and commissioned as part of the initiatives include Emirati artist Khalid Shafar’s sculpture – Palm Bouquet in the reception lobby of Belgravia; Hamama, a suspended art installation created by design students of the American University of Sharjah at Belgravia II; ‘V’, a wooden wall sculpture by Nour Daou in Eaton Place; and the upcoming, ‘The Levitate’ by Neel Shukla at DT1.