The Art of Recycling is back!
‘I love Abu Dhabi because....’
The highly anticipated Art of Recycling competition is back for its third edition in Abu Dhabi and with submissions open in mid-February now is the time to start brainstorming and get creative!
This year’s event promises to be bigger, bolder, and more inspiring than ever. And now that the schools have returned from winter break, it is the ideal time for students to start collecting their recyclable material and visualise their masterpieces.
The initiative is once again being rolled out by Yalla and Abu Dhabi Mall. Following last year’s success, which saw over 400 remarkable entries, the 2025 edition aims to build on that momentum by encouraging the community to merge creativity with sustainability.
Under the theme, “I love Abu Dhabi, because…” – participants are invited to express their love for the capital through art, with the evergreen caveat of using recyclable materials to craft stunning pieces. Submission dates open between 19 February to 21 March.
One major change to the competition this year is that the individual students will now receive the vouchers instead of the schools. However any winning schools will be the recipient of a prestigious Art of Recycling plaque.
NOTE: If your school has never entered the competition before you will need to register your intention by filling out an application form (located at the bottom of this page)
What you can use
- Paper, including newspapers, magazines, and mixed paper
- Cardboard
- Glass bottles and jars
- PET Plastic bottles
- Metal containers, including tin, aluminium and steel cans
What you cannot use
Use of any of the below materials will disqualify your creation. Proceed with caution!
- Greasy paper, such as oil-soaked paper plates and pizza boxes
- Used paper towels, tissues
- Broken ceramics, light bulbs and mirrors
- Film plastics, such as plastic bags, shrink wrap, and bubble wrap
- Plastic straws, plastic drinks stirrers
- Helium balloons
- Plastic cotton buds
- Plastic coffee cups and lids
- Plastic cups in general
- Plastic cutlery
- Plastic food containers, usually polystyrene for takeaway food
- Plastic plates
- Styrofoam, otherwise known as expanded polystyrene (EPS)
- Hard plastic items
- Electronic waste (e-waste)
- Construction and demolition (C&D) debris, such as concrete and drywall
- Carrier stock; the paper packaging around packs of drink cans
Judging Criteria
A maximum of 10 points can be used for each category for the below, with a maximum of 20 points for the BONUS category.
- Effective use of recycled/reused materials (Please refer to list of recyclable materials that can be used)
- Originality and innovation
- Creativity
- Overall presentation
- Visual impact
- Composition and design
- Craftsmanship
- Artist statement, a 75-to-150-word paragraph, with a title for your piece, explaining what your artwork is.
- BONUS POINTS: Amaze the judges
Amaze the judges. Judges have the opportunity to award up to 20 points for any piece of work that they collectively see as the artist having gone above and beyond in terms of all the above criteria elements.
Categories and Prizes
Kindergarten/Nursery
Winner of AED 2,500 and 10 runners-up of AED 1,000 each.
Secondary
Winner of AED 2,500 and 10 runners-up of AED 1,000 each.
Primary
Winner of AED 2,500 and 10 runners-up of AED 1,000 each.
People of Determination Over-12
Winner of AED 2,500 and 10 runners-up of AED 1,000 each.
Adults
Winner of AED 5,000 and five runners-up of AED 2,000 each.
People of Determination U-12
Winner of AED 2,500 and 10 runners-up of AED 1,000 each.
Terms and Conditions
- The opening of submission dates are 19 February to 21 March (Wednesday & Saturday, times TBC)
- If your school has never entered the competition before they will need to signal their intent by filling out an application form.
- Successful individuals or groups entering from a school will win a prize for themselves, not for the school. The school will receive a plaque.
- All entrants must provide a valid email address and mobile number.
- All entrants must submit a photograph of themselves and/or the team with their artwork. The photographs will be used on a display wall. All entrants must consent to being photographed.
- Entries must fit on a display stand and can be no larger than one metre tall by one metre wide.
- All entrants must include a blurb or short description about the inspiration behind their work (c. 100 words)
- The weight of the artwork can be up to 6kg.
- A shortlist of artworks will be hung and added to a display wall or a stand during the judging stage.
- The judging panel will be comprised of professionals from institutions within the arts community of Abu Dhabi
- Winners will be announced at a later date at an award ceremony to be held in Abu Dhabi Mall.
- The competition is open to anyone except those directly involved with the Competition and judging (including their families and relatives). There is no fee to enter The Art of Recycling Competition 2025.
- If you are under the age of 18, you must have permission to enter from your parent or guardian. By submitting an entry for the competition, your parent/guardian is deemed to have given such consent and to agree to the use of the entry as described in these terms and conditions.
- If your entry is an accessory, its size cannot be more than one metre in height or one metre.
- Each entrant is only allowed to enter one art piece.
- Only a maximum of 5 entries from any one school can make it into the short-listed final round
- No entry can be brought in before mid-February
