The Little Art successfully concluded the two-day exhibition of the 18th ArtBeat National Child Art Competition and Exhibition at the Zahoor ul Akhlaq Gallery, National College of Arts today.
The exhibition was inaugurated on Friday, 13 February 2026, by Prof. Dr. Murtaza Jafri, Vice Chancellor of the National College of Arts, in the presence of young artists, educators, families, and members of the creative community.
This year, ArtBeat 18 invited children from across Pakistan to respond to three themes: Images of Nature, Spring in Pakistan, and Beyond the Stars. The project received thousands of artworks from over 500 schools across more than 100 cities, including submissions from public schools and children with special needs. The scale and diversity of participation reflect a strong commitment to inclusion and equitable access to arts education nationwide. The distinguished jury for the 18th edition included Irfan Gul Dahri, Shireen Bano Rizvi, Ali Azmat, Waqas Khan, Kiran Saleem and Najia Azmat, who evaluated submissions based on originality, imagination and each child’s unique visual language.
Initiated in 2012, ArtBeat has grown into a leading national platform for young artists. Now in its 18th edition, the initiative continues to nurture visual culture, encourage critical thinking, and create meaningful space for children to express their ideas through art. Over the years, tens of thousands of young artists from across Pakistan have participated, making ArtBeat one of the country’s most consistent and far-reaching child art platforms. The Lahore exhibition featured a curated selection of 109 physical artworks from the Green Region and 83 digital works from the Blue Region. Displayed within one of the country’s premier art institutions, the exhibition placed children’s work at the heart of a professional cultural space.
Umair Mushtaq, Interim Director of The Little Art, shared, “ArtBeat is not just a competition. It is a platform where children see their ideas taken seriously. When their work is displayed in a space like the Zahoor ul Akhlaq Gallery, it sends a powerful message that their voices matter.” The exhibition opened exclusively for invited guests and award winners on Friday and remained open to the public on Saturday, 14 February 2026. Selected child artists were awarded certificates and prizes as part of the exhibition proceedings.
The Little Art is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting arts education and creating meaningful creative learning opportunities for children and young people across Pakistan.