Dubai, UAE - 24 August, 2022:  Art be a Part, a new artists’ community in Dubai, has secured strong backing for its plans to help vulnerable children and support other humanitarian causes.

Philanthropist and artist Medha Nanda today officially launched Art be a Part, an initiative which will support the work of Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), while also supporting UNICEF India.

An international line-up of artists already on board have quickly pledged paintings and photographic work to the movement’s first fund-raising venture. 

These include Hollywood actor and musician Luke Goss, who developed his passion for painting during the Covid-19 lockdown, and has contributed two serigraphs that are together valued at $100,000. 

The serigraphs will be sold during an auction at the Taj Hotel in Dubai on 17 September, which is being held as part of the TiLT Festival and Conference, a global change makers summit bringing together thought leaders, CEOs, creatives and entrepreneurs from different nations. Proceeds from the auction will be directed to Dubai Cares and UNICEF India.

“I’m delighted with the response that we have received to Art be a Part,” said Medha Nanda. “We are thrilled to be supporting Dubai Cares, and look forward to empowering each artist joining the community to play an active part in helping causes close to their hearts. I am also thankful that we have the chance to support UNICEF India, and that we can work together to achieve our goals.” 
Abdulla Ahmed Alshehhi, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Cares, said: “Art is a powerful medium to bring about positive change. Creative platforms like ‘Art be a Part’ are an excellent showcase of what we can accomplish when we come together under a collective spirit to make our world a better place for all. We are thankful to ‘Art be a Part’ for engaging with the artist community to support our efforts in transforming the lives of children and youth through providing access to quality education.”

Fairuz Taqi- Eddin, Chief of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization to UNICEF Gulf Area Office in Dubai remarked: “It is through partnerships, that UNICEF is able to advance its ambitious goals and reach the world’s most disadvantaged children around the world. UNICEF is grateful for Art be a Part partnership and for this innovative event concept being launched in Dubai, bringing together artists, philanthropists and the wider community to make a difference and support UNICEF’s work for every child in India”

Welcoming the initiative, Richard Beighton, Chief ,Resource Mobilization and Partnerships at UNICEF India said: “UNICEF relies completely on voluntary support and donations to help us protect the lives of children and their chances of realising their dreams. We are therefore grateful to have the support of champions for children like Medha Nanda, whose contribution will help us continue to give new opportunities to children across India.”

Art be a Part aims to help upcoming artists who need a platform to be seen. Collectively, it will deliver help to children, communities, animals and nature which are either being neglected or are forgotten. One of the first targets is to assist vulnerable children in the remotest regions of India.

“Within the next two years, we want to build a substantial community of people who add value by supporting this platform, and also help to raise awareness for the causes most dear to them,” added Nanda. “We will focus on the most vulnerable segment of living beings that cannot speak out for themselves - the children and the animals.

“We want to provide help where it is needed most urgently such as in areas that are under
distress due to natural disaster or war. We aim to ensure that people have access to basic facilities such as sanitary living conditions, access to health, education and nutrition. 

“We want to use this platform to help as many people as possible. We want to protect our biodiversity and fragile ecosystem by supporting causes that help to conserve or restore the natural balances.”

The aims set out by Nanda for Art be a Part have been met with particular enthusiasm by Luke Goss, who found fame with twin brother Matt in the 1980s British pop band, Bros. After moving to Los Angeles in the 1990s, he launched a 20-year acting career which has brought critically acclaimed roles in movies such as Nomak in ‘Blade II’, and Prince Nuada in ‘Hellboy 2’.

“Art be a Part sits within my hope for art, and the creative seeds that can be encouraged in young minds that will soon be shaping our world,” said Goss, a multi-talented, multidisciplinary artist and best-selling author who staged his first exhibition in LA last year, after falling in love with painting during the Covid lockdown. I was drawn to Art be a Part and its mission to bring about change through art, and to support UNICEF India. This meeting also led me to Dubai Cares, and showed me the wonderful work it does for children worldwide. I’m honoured to be a part of it all.”

Others joining Art be a Part include Elena Fedosenko, a Russian-born professional artist and art teacher, Italian Pablo Dana, known for exhibiting “sarcastic art”, Dubai-based Lebanese artist Dalia Chehab, and modern-day, mixed media artist Mr. Bolshy.

The new community has also attracted a number of established photographers, among them Indian-born artist Cimmaron Singh, self-taught Harsh Bansal, nature and animals specialist Riyad Gandy, and Dubai-based Hermoine Macura-Noble, whose photographic artwork documented in the book ‘Faces of the Middle East’ has been exhibited in London, New York Washington and other cities. 

They are joined by Ratika van Noord, an artist whose medium of expression is words and is author of “Planet B – making of MITRA”, a science-fiction, adventure novel for children aged 8-14 years. 

The Art be a Part auction on 17 September is part of a varied TiLT Festival & Conference programme at the Taj Hotel that includes panel discussions featuring industry leaders, networking, workshops, music performances, pop-up cuisine showcases, wellness sessions, art exhibitions and film screenings.