JEDDAH — A series of workshops as part of the Art Jameel Photography Award is being held to develop the skills of entrants. The award is one of the programs of Art Jameel, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI). The workshops will introduce the award specifics, such as the entry forms and terms and conditions, as well as the main theme selected for this year's edition. In addition, the workshops will provide participants with the skills necessary to develop them into professionals. Lexus Centers in Jeddah, Riyadh and Al-Khobar have already hosted various workshops attended by over 150 artists and photographers of different nationalities. The first round of these workshops focused on the importance of developing the visionary skills of a photographer. Scotoma, the blind spot of vision, has been selected as one of the main topics for this year's edition of the award. The theme was discussed at the workshops as well as the level of creativity that photographers can reach when producing their artworks. The workshops were held in August and led by prominent professional photographer Emad Al-Hussaini, who is based in Jeddah; Moataz Al-Khairat, a lecturer in photography in Riyadh; and Ahmed Al-Afghani, winner of the Art Jameel Photography Award 2013 in Al-Khobar. Further workshops will be organized across the Kingdom to reach the largest possible number of talented photographers. Dalya Mousa, manager of art programs at the Art Jameel Initiative and project manager for the Art Jameel Photography Award, said the workshops would run throughout the duration of the competition. “We want to attract gifted photographers from across the Kingdom, nurture these talented photographers and most importantly help them with their transition from amateur photographers to becoming professionals so they can embark on a career in photography,” she explained. Mousa said the workshops, which are supervised by Leap Studios, have received a great response from photographers and photography enthusiasts. She said the award's organizing committee has started receiving entry application forms and that entries would stop being received by the end of October. Art Jameel is organizing this prestigious award as part of a strategic partnership with Lexus KSA and in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts. Mazen Ghazi Jameel, senior general manager of marketing at Lexus KSA, said he was “thrilled” to host the workshops at their Lexus Centers. He emphasized the importance of the award, which he said served as a platform for a large number of photographers to network, exchange experiences and to work together on developing their skills and professional practices. “We hope they will learn to perform to international standards and become qualified to fill positions in local and regional organizations,” he said. Art Jameel launched the fifth edition of Art Jameel Photography Award in July this year, and the aim is to showcase the work of a number of talented photographers to a wide audience and develop their skills. This year's award will give away five cash awards worth a total of SR100,000, and 30 pieces of work will be showcased in an exhibition traveling across Saudi Arabia.
