Abu Dhabi, May 5th, 2011 (WAM) -- The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) will hold an award distribution ceremony to honour the winners of the sixth session of the Emirates Photography Competition 2011 (EPC).
The EPC is organised by ADACH, with the support of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP)aimed at developing the progress of photography in the UAE. The ceremony will be held on May 29th, 2011 at the National Theatre in Abu Dhabi. It was discussed in a meeting chaired by Abdullah Al Ameri, Director of Culture and Arts Department at ADACH. Representatives of all the concerned departments besides Bader Al Nomani, the Executive Director of the EPC, and Ms. Sawsan Khamis, director of ADACH's Free Art Studio were present. Ameri noted that over 6,000 photographers from 134 different countries applied for the 2011 EPCs sixth session. Approximately 15,000 photographs were submitted in the different disciplines judged by the Competition. This is a considerable increase from the 2010 session of the EPC, where 1,291 photographers, originating from eighty-two different countries, submitted a total of 13,452 photographs. The EPC aims to attract the largest possible number of photographers by paying particular attention to the nurturing of talent and giving professionals their complete support. It does this through the organisation of specialised workshops, interactive meetings, seminars, and solo and group exhibitions, both inside and outside the UAE. The Competition also purchases much of the work produced by the participants and comprehensively promotes the pieces. This year, the Competition celebrates the famous US photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984) which is considered to be one of the greatest creative talents in the history of photography, due to his enchanting black-and-white photographs. The sixth session of the competition also honours the late photographer Noor Ali Rashid (1929 2010). He is a leading figure in the art of UAE photography and his work is appreciated and recognised throughout the region. Within this context, a special award bearing the name of "Noor Ali Rashid" will be presented to the best Emirati photographer in 2011. The award will go to a photographer whose work highlights the local and environmental symbols of the UAE whilst acknowledging the different themes stipulated by the EPC. For the first time, a special prize for Arab photography will be awarded. Five gold medals will be awarded to the top five works presented by participating Arab countries. In addition, awards will be presented to the top five collective works of international photography associations and clubs, in order to promote the role of these forums in supporting the cultural movement of photography. The deadline for submitting works to the sixth session of the EPC passed on March 31st, 2011. There have been an unprecedented number of submissions for this years Competition.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.
