Emirati child prodigies to make debut at World Art Dubai 2025

For the first time, a group of Emirati child prodigies will showcase their artworks at World Art Dubai (WAD), the region’s most accessible retail art fair, running from April 17 to 20 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

The 11th edition of the fair brings together over 400 artists and galleries from more than 65 countries for four days of creativity, performance, and global artistic exchange. Amidst this international gathering, the MRK Contemporary Art Gallery booth will spotlight homegrown talent in an exhibition titled “Emirati Art in Every Home.”

The featured young artists—Aisha, Maitha, Hamdan, Rodha, Hessa, Amna, Saeed, and Creaye—are not your average children. From an early age, they embraced artistic creation over screen time or traditional toys. Their work—spanning paintings, caricatures, portraits, landscapes, digital drawings, and abstract pieces—displays emotional depth, technical ability, and imaginative flair rarely seen at such a young age.

“These aren’t just sketches by kids. These are thoughtful, culturally rich, and visually sophisticated works that hold their own next to professional art,” said Meena Kamal, artist and owner of MRK Contemporary. “Each piece reflects the spirit of the UAE—its traditions, emotions, and aspirations.”

Rayad Kamal Ayub, founder of MRK and a UAE-based entrepreneur, says nurturing creativity in children is essential. “Children are natural storytellers. Art helps them explore emotions, process the world around them, and express themselves freely,” he said. “Platforms like World Art Dubai empower them to be seen and celebrated.”

The fair's broader international reach this year includes new pavilions from Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Australia, and Estonia, offering everything from Mongolian nomadic-inspired works to Mexican mirror sculptures and Zimbabwean contemporary art. The Emirati and Philippines Pavilions also make their debut, further spotlighting regional talent.

China has been named Country of Honour for the 2025 edition, with a dedicated pavilion featuring traditional and contemporary Chinese art, alongside live cultural performances to promote global dialogue.

Meena Kamal believes the children’s exhibition contributes to this exchange. She said, “These young Emirati artists may be small in age but they are big in vision.”