A vibrant art display at Jalal Baba Auditorium highlights rich Hazara talent, fosters the growth of young artists and strengthens Abbottabad’s cultural identity through inclusive exhibitions and creative collaboration. PHOTOS: EXPRESS
ABBOTTABAD:
A vibrant art exhibition organized by the Abbottabad Academy of Performing Arts (AAPA) renewed optimism among artists, students and art enthusiasts across the Hazara Division, underlining the region’s rich creative talent and the growing need for dedicated cultural platforms.
Held at the Jalal Baba Auditorium in collaboration with the Hazara Abaseen Arts Council, the event combined the Art Line Academy certificate distribution ceremony with a large-scale exhibition featuring paintings, calligraphy and creative works by established and emerging artists from across Hazara.
Visitors described the exhibition as a refreshing and much-awaited cultural initiative, noting that it was the first time in several years that artists from different districts of Hazara could display their work collectively under one roof in Abbottabad.
Calligrapher Imama Rizwan highlighted the importance of such a platform within the region and said that earlier artists had to travel to Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other major cities to exhibit their works. He said the exhibition reflects the immense creative potential of young artists and demonstrates their ability to express contemporary ideas through art.
Chief guest and renowned artist Nasir Shahzad praised the initiative and said it showed the abundance of artistic talent in Hazara. He said artists need guidance, mentorship and opportunities rather than motivation alone, and described the AAPA as a significant step toward building a sustainable arts ecosystem.
Senior Artist and Vice President of Hazara Abaseen Arts Council Qazi Zubair praised the organizers for bringing together established and emerging artists on a single platform. He said such initiatives help project a positive image of Abbottabad and strengthen the cultural identity of the region.
Veteran artist Parvez Khan expressed his delight at exhibiting his work before the local audience after almost five decades of exhibiting art across Pakistan. He described the experience as the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration and encouraged young people to pursue visual arts for creativity, personal development and emotional expression.
AAPA CEO Safdar Hussain said the academy was established to create a shared platform for artists, students and cultural professionals to collaborate and grow. He noted that more than a dozen artists participated in the inaugural exhibition, while public response indicated strong demand for cultural activities in the region.
Additionally, it announced plans to launch a series of performing and creative arts programs aimed at providing training, mentoring and opportunities for young artists regionally and nationally.
