A prize for out-of-the-box thinking

The prize was started by the Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) in 2003, with a view to giving an international platform to the region's promising new artists. All of the 30 shortlisted works, except the Grand Prize winner, were auctioned at the May 17 event. The proceeds will be split evenly between the artists and SAF's charity initiatives, focused primarily on helping children in need find ways of expressing themselves through art.

The 30 finalists were selected from a pool of 362 entries submitted by 171 artists from 15 countries and regions.