LAHORE: The Little Art on Wednesday announced the winners of the 4th ArtBeat, the national children art competition, at a ceremony held at the Alhamra Art Center, The Mall.

Playwright and art critic Asghar Nadeem Syed presided over the ceremony which marked the opening of an exhibition based on children`s works (part of competition) selected by the jury.

The exhibition will continue till Oct 3.

This year`s theme `Kaisa Pakistan` encouraged children to reflect on their identity, visualise their true culture, draw and paint how they see Pakistan. The 4th ArtBeat received artworks fromindividualyoungartists,210 schools and nearly 25 community organisations from across Pakistan, making it the largest participation of children the competition has ever seen.

Some of the students/schools chosen for prizes and exhibitsare: For Category A ( 4-9 years) 1st -Ahmed Murad -3-Silver -DHA School Junior School Z Block DHA Lahore, 1st Prize Rs20,000 (10,000 for artist, 10,000 for school), 2nd -Esa Farhan -2-G -Beaconhouse School System, Hall Road, Kindergarten Branch, Rawalpindi, 2nd Prize Rs15,000 (8,000 for artist, 7,000 for school), 3rd -Naba Abdul Sttar -III-Pink -Beaconhouse School System Upper Primary Branch Gujranwala, 3rd Prize Rs10,000 (5,000 for artist, 5,000 for school).

Category B (10-14 years) 1st -Uswa Sattar Bajwa -VI-Green -Sialkot Public School. 1st Prize Rs20,000 (10,000 for artist, 10,000 for school), 2nd -Ghosia Ujala -5th -Fatima Fertilizer School Sadiqabad, 2nd Prize Rs15,000 (8,000 for artist, 7,000 for school), 3rd -Basim Zafar -VII-Yellow -Beaconhouse School System Middle Branch Johar Rown Campus Lahore. 3rd Prize Rs10,000 (5,000 for artist, 5,000 for school).

Category C (15-18 years), 1st -Alishba Amer -O-II -Resource Academia Middle Section Hussain Chowk Lahore. 1st Prize Rs20,000 (10,000 for artist, 10,000 for school). 2nd -Dawood Tahir -A1 -Individual ArtistLahore. 3rd -Aneega Sikandar -A2 -Beaconhouse School System Canal Road Faisalabad.

Category D -three prizes of Rs5,000 each for children from marginalised background. Aliza Ibrahim of Bostaan` Ilm School Rawalpindi, Gulfam M Boota of Rising Stars Girls Elementary School Lahore and Zar Alam of Baacha Khan School Landi Kotal Khyber Agency.

Category D -three prizes of Rs5,000 each for children with special needs. Usama of Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled High School Lahore, Fatima Tariq of Hamza Foundation Academy for deaf Lahore, and Talha Sohail of Lahore Speech and Language School.

This year`s jury consisted of Dr Shahida Manzoor (Principal, College of Art and Design, Punjab University), R.M. Naeem (Painter and Teacher, National College of Arts), Sadaf Naeem (Painter and Lecturer, Kinnaird College) and Amina Ansari (Painter).

ArtBeat also offered studio workshops in summers to 60 selected students with Studio R.M and College of Art & Design, Punjab University, to excel in their skills.

The Little Art Director ShoaibIqbal said: `We received a very warm response from schools all over Pakistan, and were touched by the quality of the work created by the children and young people this year. Each artwork was unique just like each child isunique and their work greatly reflected their imagination.

Overall, nearly 16,000 children and youngsters have participated in the competition, nine exhibitions have been organised across Pakistan, 10 studio workshopsconducted for children with senior artists and art students, and student artworks promoted in public art galleries and at international exhibitions like the Sharjah International Biennial for Children`s Arts.