The Art be a Part Gala 2025 took place at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, bringing together artists, collectors, and philanthropists to support children’s education through Dubai Cares and UNICEF.
The charity auction, conducted by Tom Urquhart, featured works from eL Seed, Stefania Nazzal, Alia Lootah, Lorenzo Quinn, and other artists. A piece by Domingo Zapata achieved the highest bid of the evening at AED 1 million.
The gala explored the theme Beyond the Frame: Art and the Future of Inclusion and was hosted by Medha Nanda of Art be a Part. Ellington Properties served as title sponsor, with TAG25 also supported by The Taj and VistaJet.
Dubai art auction raises money for children with special needs through Art be a Part Gala
eL Seed’s “Locke III” sold for AED175,000, whilst Paresh Maity’s A Magical Morning reached AED420,000. Alia Lootah’s Paper Folds sold for AED41,000, and Lorenzo Quinn’s I Give you My Heart III achieved AED 320,000. Stefania Nazzal’s The Stars We See sold for AED95,000, and Tina Gavasheli’s Wave of Life reached AED70,000.
The raised funds support education programmes for children with special needs, focusing on teacher training, early disability identification, and assessment procedures.
Initiatives include Home-Based Education programmes for children with disabilities and the development of a Standard Operating Procedure for resource rooms, supported by UNICEF.
“This year’s Art be a Part Gala 2025 was a truly inspiring celebration of creativity and community. Beyond the Frame came to life beautifully – every artwork, every performance, and every guest contributed to a night that not only celebrated art, but also made a real impact in supporting childrenโs education and inclusion. It was a testament to what can be achieved when art and purpose come together,” Medha Nanda, Founder of Art be a Part said in a statement.
The SpArk initiative focuses on integrating children with special needs into government schools across villages in India.
The programme educates communities and families about supporting children and uses an art and play-based learning approach now adopted by government mainstream schools. Parents participate twice weekly in learning how to engage their children.
“The Art be a Part Gala reaffirms the art communityโs unique ability to inspire creativity while also mobilizing support for transformative change. The initiative exemplifies how artistic engagement can be turned into a powerful tool to advance inclusive development for children with special needs, ensuring they have access to equal opportunities, tailored support systems, and the dignity of full participation in society. A special thank you to Medha Nanda for her vision, ambition, and bold commitment to a sector of society that has long been overlooked. We are also deeply grateful to the artists, partners, and supporters who are helping turn creativity into meaningful progress,” Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares added.
Performance by Parson James
Parson James performed at the event, providing entertainment throughout the evening alongside the exhibition and auction.
“We are incredibly grateful to Art be a Part and all the participating artists, sponsors, and collectors for their generous support. This evening is a celebration of how creativity can be harnessed to transform the lives of children. The funds raised will directly contribute to ensuring inclusive education and opportunities for children with special needs, helping them realise their full potential,” Arjan de Wagt, Chief of UNICEF India (Nutrition) said in a statement.
Guests at the event included Sanjeev Nanda, H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Jwana Karim, Majid Jafar, Mary Habib, Sima Ved, Namrata Shroff, Barkha Shewakramani, and Hala Khayat.
The Art be a Part initiative has previously supported frontline workers and teachers working with children, strengthened education systems, and enabled children to develop school readiness, literacy, and numeracy skills.
Progress has been made in early identification of disabilities, standardisation of assessment procedures, and collaboration between education, health, and social justice sectors, resulting in increased enrolment rates.
