Abu Dhabi, 22 June 2022: This year, Abu Dhabi Art’s annual Art + Tech programme brought NFTs, Digital Art and the Metaverse to the fore in Abu Dhabi Art’s programming. Art + Tech’s 2022 edition comprised a Virtual NFT Workshop and Mentorship Programme that brought university students together with experts from the NFT industry. The initiative aimed to accompany students as they delve into the rapidly evolving and emerging world of digital art and NFTs and discover their relevance in the region. 

The Art + Tech Virtual NFT Workshop and Mentorship Programme, which took place between 6-15 June, was organised in partnership with MORROW collective’s social enterprise partner, the Fatima Bint Mohamed Initiative. University students studying art as well as technology streams came together with NFT experts MORROW collective, who acted as mentors for the course, and guest contributors who taught the students about these new digital art forms. For this year’s edition, art students were paired with those studying technology to create their own NFTs, which will be exhibited during the fair in November. Selected NFTs will also be awarded titles for the categories of Artists’ Choice, MORROW’s Choice, and more.

The annual Art + Tech programme was launched by Abu Dhabi Art in 2017 with the aim of bridging the gap between the fields of art and technology. Previous editions were held in collaboration with Higher Colleges of Technology and Khalifa University and directed towards technology students, but this year the programme has expanded to include art students from Zayed University, American University of Sharjah, UAE University, and New York University Abu Dhabi. 
In line with Abu Dhabi Art’s mission to nurture the local arts and culture scene, the Art + Tech Virtual NFT Workshop and Mentorship Programme focused on facilitating youth creativity by providing young people with the means to create their own works and a platform through which to exhibit them.

Anna Seaman, Curator at MORROW collective and leader of the Art + Tech programme this year stated: “The fusion of art and technology sums up what NFTs represent and why they are so impactful to the way that art is made, bought and sold. The MORROW team was happy to mentor and guide the art and technology students through the process of making NFTs inside a curatorial framework. It is also a wonderful opportunity for them to have their work exhibited at Abu Dhabi Art, which is one of the UAE’s most respected art platforms and is committed to nurturing the next generation of art world professionals.”