UAE award celebrating Islamic art and culture returns after being put on hold by pandemic

The 16th Al Burda Award will recognise creative talents from a variety of fields, including poetry and calligraphy

Visitors view an installation at Al Burda Festival in 2018, an event set up to complement the Al Burda Award, at Warehouse 421, Abu Dhabi. Leslie Pableo for The National

A long-standing UAE award celebrating Islamic art and culture is taking centre stage once more after being postponed last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 16th Al Burda Award will bring together the cream of creative talent – including artists, poets and calligraphists – who will vie for cash prizes of up to Dh70,000.

In total, there will be 23 winners and 10 finalists; they will will receive cash prizes starting from Dh10,000.

Registrations opened on Monday until June 17, while artist submissions take place from June 17 until October 1.

The categories include poetry, calligraphy, ornamentation and Arabic typography.

“With the rapid developments taking place in the world, we must preserve the heritage embodied by the award and promote diversity in Islamic culture,” said Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth.

“We must develop this heritage and integrate it into the culture of the age, so that it is available for the younger generations to enrich their knowledge of the Islamic heritage.”

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  Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, with Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, at the Al Burda Festival in 2018. All photos by Leslie Pableo / The National

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  Mina Al Oraibi, Editor in Chief of The National, and Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director General, Bahrain Authority for Culture, at the Al Burda Festival in 2018.

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  An attendee looks at a picture on display. The 16th Al Burda Award has launched a new category for Arabic typography.

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  Sheikh Saif and other visitors at the festival. The Al Burda Festival celebrates Islamic art and culture.

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  A visitor checks out the virtual reality exhibit.

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  Mina Al Oraibi and Sheikha Mai with Dr Ines Abdel Dayem, Minister of Culture of Egypt and Zaki Nusseibeh, then UAE Minister of State and now Cultural adviser to the President Sheikh Khalifa, at the festival in 2018.

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  A woman takes a photo of an artwork.

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  An attendee looks at artworks.

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  Visitors examine a picture.

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  A visitor passes an art installation.

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  Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, speaks to the audience. The name of the festival is derived from 'Qasidat Al Burda', a 13th century poem that was written in praise of Prophet Mohammed.

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  A visitor looks at one of the exhibits.

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  Attendees walk past an art installation.

The prize was launched in 2004 by the Ministry of Culture and Youth to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

This year’s award will focus on encouraging young people to help shape the future direction of Islamic arts.

With this in mind, the Arabic typography category was added to blend modern technology with tradition.

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Organisers expect thousands of entries to flood in over the next month.

“Judging from previous editions, when we’ve had more than 17,000 submissions, we hope that the numbers will be quite big,” Ms Al Kaabi said.

“The Burda Prize is not just an artistic prize, but rather a message and value that carries with it lofty meanings and principles consistent with the occasion of its launch – the anniversary of the Prophet’s birth.”

The award takes its name and theme from Qasidat Al Burda, a 13th century poem that was written in praise of Prophet Mohammed.

“This symbolises the value of tolerance and co-existence of all civilisations,” Ms Al Kaabi said.

Entries can be made on the competition website, www.burda.ae

The jury will meet in November to evaluate the entries.

The names of the winners will be announced in December at Al Burda Festival, which was launched in 2018 to complement the award.