Rabbania Shirjeel: Rabbania Shirjeel is a Lahore based practicing visual Artist. She has recently completed her master’s in Art and Design from Beaconhouse National University. Being the only Pakistani to have an honors degree in Photography, the idea of limiting to a single medium or working with specific interests is unfamiliar to her. As she does not believe in giving up on her Fine Art background – she explores, experiments and somewhere question the possibilities and limitations of both mediums separately and together. Her recent work is a combination of the basic and the advanced. She is interested in Paper as a surface and as a medium. Her recent works revolve around Memory. From the memory of childhood, home, grandparents to the partition of India 1947. Rabbania is also the founder of Tasweerghar and is running Art Chain Pakistan.

Moiz Alvi: Moiz Alvi – Founder of M.A Production & Photolicious – is a Lahore based “fine art photographer & filmmaker.” Formerly graduated from Punjab University College of Art & Design – PUCAD as a Communication Designer and currently doing Masters in Multimedia Film program at National College of Arts – NCA, He has been practicing photography as his passion and profession for almost a decade. He is majorly renowned in the market for his wedding & food photography. Capturing artistically meaningful pictures lets him go out into other domains as well and work for an exceptional range of commercial, corporate, and fashion errands.

He has won multiple photography competitions held in Lahore and in other cities of Pakistan too. Recently, He shoots Pakistan’s first comedy short film on disability named “Fruit Chaat” which was selected for International Film Festival 2020.

Success doesn’t come easy – it is neither yearned nor learned – it is earned. Having no other substitute, hard work is undeniably the only way to succeed. Plant now, harvest later.

Nida Alvi: Ms. Nida Alvi, call herself a Creative. With her Masters in Art & Design, has enabled her to work in different creative fields like Designing and teaching Arts, to managing and coordinating events to Photography. She loves everything to do with Creativity and Art.

The love for photography has remained constant throughout her journey as an Artist. She thinks she is more of a Hobbyist Photographer and her diverse canvas stretches from portraits to landscapes, from streets to seascapes, but the closest to her heart is catching sunsets in every setting! She loves how photographing small and mundane tasks makes them special and lets you see things differently leaving a longer and stronger impression.

Sana Munir: Sana has a Master’s Degree in Mass Media Research and Analysis and she won two Gold Medals with Distinction for her M.A. She is the author of Unfettered Wings: Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary Women (RUPA; India; 2018) tells stories of women and her work aims at representation, diversity, and acceptance. Unfettered Wings, her book of short stories was nominated for Best Fiction (English) at the Valley of Words Literary Festival at Dehra Dun, India. The book has also received five-star reviews with Indian newspapers such as Deccan Chronicle, News Now, Business Standard, Outlook magazine.

She has taught Feminist Film Theory, Research Methodology, and International Communication at Lahore College for Women, Lahore as an honorary lecturer. Currently, Sana is working on another collection of short stories.

Osama Siddiqui: Osama Siddique is a Pakistani scholar, academic, legal and policy reform expert and published author. Dr. Siddique was the inaugural Henry J. Steiner Visiting Professor in Human Rights at Harvard Law School in Fall 2016. He also serves on the permanent senior faculty of the Institute of Global Law and Policy (IGLP) at Harvard. He is the author and co-author of several international peer-reviewed law journal articles, national reform reports, and legal textbooks. His book publications include the multiple award winning ‘Pakistan’s Experience with Formal Law: An Alien Justice (Cambridge University Press: 2013).’ He also writes historical fiction. ‘Snuffing Out the Moon’ – his debut novel – was published in 2017 by Penguin Random House India under its prestigious Hamish Hamilton imprint

R.M. Naeem: He is a visual artist and educationist at Studio RM. Upon completing his BFA in 1993 as a distinction student at the National College of Arts Lahore, subsequently held the position of assistant professor at his alma mater. In the past nineteen years, he has held eleven solo shows both in Pakistan and abroad and curated various important shows. In addition, his work has been exhibited in numerous important group shows nationally and internationally, including The Asian Art Biennale Dhaka Bangladesh, The International Artists’ Biennale Iran, The Pyeongtack International Art Festival Lake Museum Korea, Art Expo Malaysia 2010, Slick Art Fair Paris 2010 France and in 2011 AAF Affordable Art Fair Singapore, 2012 Art Melbourne, Australia. Other nations that have shown his work various times are India, Oman, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE, USA, China, UK, Norway, Srilanka, and Canada.

Asghar Nadeem Syed: Ashghar Nadeem Syed has been a prominent playwright, drama writer, poet, and educationist known for iconic popular drama serials including Chand Grahan, Riyasat, Khuwahish, Kirchiyan, Nijaat, Bol Meri Machli, Khuda Zameen Se Gaya Nahin, to name a few. He completed his Master’s degree in the Urdu language from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, and Ph.D. degree from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan. Syed has never shied away from pinpointing negativities prevalent in our society and has written plays depicting the feudal culture in rural Sindh, exploitation of women, the oligarchic structure in Pakistan comprising politicians, feudal, media moguls, and the bureaucracy.

Tehseen Chishti: Tehseen Wajahat Chishty belongs to Natia Gharana, who is a Multi-talented, Versatile singer, and the lead vocalist of the band Alif. He has earned a bachelor’s degree in Musicology from The National College of Arts.

He is classically trained thus has Professional command on vocals. He was awarded with a gold medal in the all Pakistan Music Conference. He is teaching music and theatre in several schools and colleges.

Ustad Hanif: Ustad Muhammad Hanif started his career in music under guidance of Pandit Chandan Das and Ustad Parvez Paras. He also learned Dhrupad Music from Ustad Hafeez Khan, spearhead of Taalwandi Gharana. His flute recital thus has an amalgamation of Dhrupad and Khayal along with an emphasis upon expression of emotional content employing volume control and ‘meendh.’ He has been performing professionally as a flautist since 1998 and has performed at national platforms in likes of PTV, APMC Lahore and APMC Karachi, LMF, Al-Khayal Music Society and many others along with representing classical music internationally. His recent ventures include performances at online platforms like Takiya Online, Artists United and Sarb Akal. Apart from being on stage pretty often he is currently teaching music at LUMS University and LGS.

Lala Ahsan: Lala Ahsan graduated from National College of Arts in 2013 from the department of Textile design and there he  was part of the western music society for four years. He has been part of bands and music since he was in school. List of bands he has been part of, Metal Oxide, Drain, Road Side Bride, Mosiqa, Xarb and Badnaam.He got his big break as one can say from Pepsi battle of the bands with the band Badnaam. Since then he is a full time musician and now also an educator. He is blessed to be part of a school (BNL) to teach young children about the magic called music.He is also a part of a collective studio for music called Madhouse where musicians come together, jam, record and collaborate.

Bina Jawwad: Bina Jawwad is a renowned Dance choreographer of Pakistan. She is a teacher of Kathak classical dance, trained by Maharaj Ghulam Hussein kathak, and is a classical vocalist having learned from Mirza Nasser Uddin of the Qawwal Baccha Gharana. She founded Harsukh, a community of artists, thinkers, and organic farmers which is promoting an alternative view of life that is deeply rooted in our culture. She believes in remaining a student and learning for the whole of one’s life is still not enough to grasp the Truth. The quest of which is essential for the health and well beingness of this planet and its inhabitants.

Adnan Jahangir: He is a Kathak exponent Choreographer and has represented Pakistan in the USA, UK, India, Italy, Turkey, and China, graduated in Communication Design from the National College of Arts. He learned classical dance ‘Kathak’ from Bina Jawwad in 1999 who was a student of Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak. He has started performing on local stages as well as having performances in India, USA, UK and Italy, Turkey, China, and Qatar. He was a part of dance workshops of world-renowned Kathak dancer and choreographer ‘Kumudini Lakhia’ in Ahmedabad, India. He had been given an award by the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute for his efforts to promote kathak dance. The Cultural, Dramatic, and Entertainment Society of the GIK on its 20-year celebrations gave him the award. His dance productions such as Chakkar have received wide appreciation and he has a number of national and international performances under his belt.

Uzma Ashraf: A versatile dancer and theatre activist, Uzma Ashraf, started acting as a child star in a play by the theatre group, Punjab Lok Rahs, during the mid-90s and it turned out to be a lifetime romance for her. Her father would compose poetry and sing and she was exposed to various forms of literature and music during her junior school days. Uzma loved to dance but never thought of learning and practicing it as an art form. During the rehearsals of a play Batti Dharran’, director Zubair Baloch, impressed by her moves on the stage, suggested she go for formal dance training. Learning the basics of dance from Nahid Siddiqui, Nighat Chaudhry, and Bina APA at PNCA. She had also worked with Sangat in street theater as a volunteer. Uzma worked with the PNCA for eight years; learned folk, Kathak, and Western dances and represented Pakistan in numerous solo and group performances abroad. When Punjab Lok Rahs moved to Sahiwal, Uzma joined the street theatre group of Huma Safdar where she is working to date.

Zainub Jawad: Zainub Jawwad is a graduate of the National College of Arts Lahore where she studied painting. She has been trained in Kathak by Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak and Bina Jawwad, followed by advanced training with Nahid Siddiqui. She has been teaching dance and doing choreography for various schools and projects since 2003. She has also simultaneously been learning classical vocal techniques from Ustad Naseer-ud-din Saami. She has trained with Bhai Ghulam Mohd. Chand in the Gurbani tradition and with Riaz Ali Qadri in the Seraiki Kaafi tradition. Among her concerts and recordings are “Bullah” at Ajoka Théâtre 2001, Matteela 2003, “Nouveau Comportement de la convention” (a collaboration with the American sound artist Kristjan Varnik) 2005, Akhuwat 2006, Warid 2006, jardiniers amateurs 2012 and Groupe des femmes 2012. Since 2007, she has also been singing in a group called Sakhiyan. She performed at the Apmc Lahore 2015, composed the music, and sang for olomopolo productions Chakkar and Mushk and Bol TV production Chakkar. She was invited to Utopiana (an artist’s residency in Geneva) 2013 where she made a sound piece and choreographed and performed movements for video collaboration. She has Composed and sang together with Harsakhiyan in collaborative work with Bani Abidi and Ali Aftab and Coke Studio season 12. Recent performances include Tasweer Ghar 2017, Tamasha festival 2017, Heritage Now festival 2017, Nothing Fest BNU April 2018, Rang-e-Kainat May 2018, WOW festival Karachi December 2019, and Salaamfest Melbourne Feb 2020. She has recently composed and performed ‘Gulabi chunariya’ for the spring/summer 2020 campaign of the clothing brand Generation.

Abdul Jabbar Gul: International Artists’ Residency – Karachi (2005), 8thInternational Stone Sculpture Symposium – Seoul, Sculpture Symposium – Spain (2013) (2014) and (2015), Arrecido Wool Symposium – Spain (2014). His work is part of collections nationally and internationally. He has done several projects of Sculptures and Paintings for the commercial and private sector, including the “COINS MURAL” a large 18 ft x 24 ft mural for The State Bank of Pakistan, metal sculpture for Head office Faysal Bank Karachi, and a huge metal Installation for Glaxosmitithkline head office, Karachi. He is also the recipient of a National Excellence Award for a sculpture by the Pakistan National Council of Arts and Punjab Artist Association Award for Sculpture.

Zahid Mayo: Zahid Mayo was four years old when he started school and learned calligraphy from the Takhti system that used to prevail in rural Punjab. Later on, his interest developed in drawing and poetry. Zahid Mayo moved to Lahore to study art and graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 2013. Mayo is a visual storyteller, an artist, and a poet. Besides working on canvases, he also paints on a variety of natural and man-made surfaces existing in the environment around him – trees turn into canvases, so do sections of parks, roadsides, and bus stops. Through his practice, he creates a dialogue not only with himself but also with the viewer on the value of collective social existence.

Muneeb Ali: Muneeb Ali is a versatile artist from Lahore’s art fraternity who’s a Graphic Designer, Calligrapher, and a Painter. He has set a high benchmark for new artists to come. His work is governed by the principles of balance and proportion, rhythm, and unity. In his calligraphy artworks, he has used various scripts in his classic manner with vivid & subtle both the color families in a somewhat complex yet eye-catching form. His detailed works created an aura of sanctity. The number of mediums he has explored in this short span of time in this art form is commendable. He aims to continue exploring and adding new dimensions to his work defying the typical calligraphy form by mixing modern design styles with this decades-old art form.

Salima Hashmi: She is a Pakistani painter artist, former college professor, anti-nuclear weapons activist, and former caretaker minister in Sethi caretaker ministry. She has served for 30 years as a professor at NCA and remained the dean of the National College of Arts for 4 years. She is the eldest daughter of the renowned poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Salima Hashmi retired after serving 12 years as the Dean of School of Visual and Communication Department at the Beaconhouse National University, where she tried to infuse a sense of professionalism and a level of excellence in her students. In the art world, Salima Hashmi has moved from being a person to a phenomenon. Her book on the female artist, Unveiling the Visible, a seminal work on the subject, is an attempt to remind how women artists have been significant architects in shaping the art of this country. In her eloquent prose, she brings together information, interviews, and analysis of artists’ works, relevant. Currently, she is.a professor at emeritus and director of Unesco Madnjeet Singh Institute of South Asian arts.

Affan Alam: It all started for him at a very early stage in the narrow streets of old Lahore, where he always observed that even in that confined space every object had its unique placement. Be it the way the milk shop was set up every morning or the decorated ‘pan shops’ or the handcarts that were selling colourful stuff. It was all designed.

He grew up to become a designer and specialises in communication design. His design philosophy revolves around a core value that good design is something that has a function, creates more interaction between people, and it can alter the way people live and function in society.

He has worked on several local and multinational brands and organizations. Some of them were USIP, British Council Pakistan, UNESCO, US Embassy Islamabad, American Film Showcase, European Union, National Police Bureau, Hewlett Packard, GlaxoSmithKline, KFC, Tapal.

He is currently working as an independent Creative Director and offers consultancies for communications, campaign strategies, digital media and content development.

Wajeeha Abbasi: Wajeeha Abbasi ​is an internationally featured Independent Graphic Designer and Illustrator. Her work represents narratives and moments from every day, along with themes around women, pop culture, and the philosophy of the Self and the Other. ​Abbasi has won Ladybird Books Publications award and has had her work exhibited/featured on several platforms including London Design Festival, Digital Arts, VM Art Gallery, Elle Italia, Made in Arts London, Al Jazeera, and The Floating Magazine. She has worked on projects for NASA, V&A Museum, Coca Cola, UN Women, YLabs, Herald, and Red Bull amongst others as well.

Sabahat Nawaz: Sabahat Nawaz is an educationist and trained as a textile designer. Nawaz graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore, and later completed her Masters in Design for Textile Futures from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London.

Her work investigates contemporary ideas of space. She aims to map out new possibilities that bring an exciting dimension to our architectural environment. Nawaz is interested in exploring what these spaces are capable of producing and privatizing; through this, she is redefining the role of the designer as a social, critical, and political negotiator within space.

She is very invested and dedicated to higher education in design, in Pakistan. Currently, she is teaching in the department of Industrial Design -(SADA), at the National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad.

Zain Ahmed: Zain Ahmed has a BA Honors (Theatre) from York University Toronto Canada.Zain Ahmed is the current Artistic Director of the NAPA Repertory Theatre at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi. He is also the founder and director of the NAPA International Performing Arts Festival as well as other festivals like the Karachi Laughter Fest and the Young Directors Festival. He has been working as a director in the theatre and television for the last 20 years. His recent work on the stage includes Heer Ranjha, Raagni, Shakuntala, and Stumped. Before joining NAPA he taught Drama at BNU Lahore.

Fizza Hassan: Fizza Hasan, one of the founding members of Theatre Wallay, is also its artistic director. Theatre Wallay, an Islamabad based company, evolved from a group she brought together in 2005. Director, actor, producer, trainer and writer, Fizza has been involved with almost every one of the group’s productions to date, of which the “Voices of Partition” , and ‘On Common Ground’ toured the United States in 2015, and 2017 respectively. By profession, Fizza is a teacher of French and English literature as well as a teacher trainer. She has been working in the education sector for more than twenty years.

Amir Nawaz: Amir is Theatre Director, Theatre Educationist, Theatrical Light Designer & Theatre trainer working in Theatre Field since 2003. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of “Maas Foundation” which is the leading theatre company of Pakistan since 2003. He has participated along with theatre productions of Maas Foundation in more than eight international theatre festivals as a theatre director. He is also the General Secretary at Assitej Pakistan, a national Chapter of Assitej International which is a platform for theatrical organizations working in the field of theatre for young audiences.He has directed and produced more than 26 theatre plays and more than 340 theatre shows.

Mobeen Ejaz: Mobeen Ejaz is a Graphic Designer, Theatre Director, Drama Teacher, Actor, Art Director, PlayWright, Storyteller. He has been practicing theatre since 2002. His theatrical practice began with his participation in several theatre workshops as well as acting in private theatrical productions. This grew into a seething, unstoppable passion for performing on stage that continued well into his college years as a student at the prestigious National College of Arts, Lahore where he other than lurking around, directed and acted in innumerable plays while acquiring his bachelor’s degree as a Graphic Designer in 2007. After hopping up and about the corporate world for a year he gladly found LGS, JT, or LGS, JT rather gladly found him.

He worked as the Head of drama at LGS, where he designed a drama program.  He had directed over 16 Junior and Middle School Plays for them. His theatrical genius lies in experimenting with different forms of theatre while he has an innate knack for absurd theatre. For the past 2 years, He has been teaching graphic design and acting at the Institute for Art and Culture.

Aqdas Waseem: Aqdas Waseem is an actor, a Director, and a concept Writer. A collection of all of Aqdas Waseem’s media work includes TVCs, Promos, Dramas, Feature films, Short Films, and Theater performances. Moreover, he’s the founder of “Loomberry Studio”, working on video-based content. Aqdas completed his Bachelor of Arts degree from the National College of Arts, Lahore, performing many theater plays and winning accolades. He has acted in a number of TVCs and promos of renowned brands and channels including Ufone, Kurkure, Mobilink, Q Mobile, Pak Wheels, Ten Sports, Geo Tez, to name a few.

Iram Sana: After completion of her degree from National College of Arts, Iram Sana started her career as an Art Lecturer at Ali Institute of Education. Later she joined Olomopolo Media as Communication Director. OLOMOPOLO Media has established itself as a cultural and social production hub, pivoted around the organization, design and execution of performing arts and visual media.

Nighat Chaudhry: Born in Lahore and brought up in England, Nighat has been a dancer from an early age as her skills were vividly visible when she was still a toddler. Later under the tutelage of legendary kathak dancer Naheed Siddque, she got herself groomed to perfection. Besides learning ballet and contemporary dance in London, Nighat also got herself trained in Kathak from the venerated institution of Kathak Kendra in Delhi, from Pandit Durga Lal of the Jaipur gharana. Today she is a force to reckon with; an institution to look forward to. With her newly founded NGO i.e. National Dance Foundations, Nighat aims to preserve the dance heritage of our country.

Minaa Haroon: Mina is a contemporary visual artist working with multiple media. She is working as an assistant director, Alhamra Art Gallery and Incharge, Alhamra Academy of Performing Arts at Lahore Arts Council. She has served at Lahore Grammar School, Beaconhouse National University, and University of Management and Technology, Lahore as a faculty member. Her training as a miniature painter later helped her in utilizing its essence in her Masters with a unique approach. Her work has been exhibited at various art galleries; among them the prominent ones are Koel Gallery, V.M. Art gallery Karachi, Alhmara Art Gallery Lahore, Nairang gallery, Vogue art gallery Lahore. Her upcoming show is in Satrang Art Gallery Islamabad. She had curated various shows nationally and internationally.

Shireen Bano Rizvi: A Master’s degree in the Visual Arts and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts (Miniature Painting) from the National College of Arts (NCA). Shireen has over twenty five years of experience as a fine artist. Rizvi has taught Miniature, Drawing, and History & Heritage courses at the oriental College of Arts. Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD), and the National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, and also remained the Regional Art Coordinator for the Beaconhouse School System. She currently heads the MA (Hons) Visual Arts program at the National College of Arts (NCA), and has displayed her artwork in numerous exhibitions in Pakistan and abroad. Shireen Bano has special interest in geometry, patterns, and abstract figurative art, which continues to be the focus of her current work.

Irfan Gul Dahri: Dahri holds a Masters in Visual Art from the National College of Arts and was awarded Charles Wallace Visiting Artist Fellowship 2013-14 to study at Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, London. In 2017, he won the 1st Prize in the ‘Arjumand Painting Award’ and was honored with national recognition. He participated in Climate Change and Art – A Practitioners’ Retreat, an art residency in Swat in 2016; was selected for 8th Neerja Modi International Art Camp 2012 in Jaipur and attended Vasl residency, Karachi in 2007. As a resident artist at Studio RM from 2008 to 2013, Irfan remained an active member of different community projects regarding student counseling and training through lectures, seminars, discussions, and formal art classes. Irfan received the Chughtai Award and Principal’s Honors Award in 2003 for academic excellence in B. Design from the National College of Arts, where he teaches as permanent faculty. He has been curating art exhibitions in Pakistan since 2016 and works at O Art Space, Lahore as Gallery Curator. Dahri has been exhibiting his work in Pakistan, Dubai, Singapore, England, and India.

Mariam El Bacha: Mariam El Bacha’s career may have started in her native Argentina, where she opened multiplexes for Village Cines, but her story since has been a globe-trotting journey. The executive’s career has taken her to multiple international markets, including the United Kingdom (Vue Cinemas), Australia (Village Cinemas), Vietnam (MegaStar Cineplexes, later acquired by CJ CGV), and Malaysia (MBO Cinemas).

El Bacha has pursued one of the most intensive and promising international careers in the exhibition today. That journey will now continue in Pakistan, where she has been appointed the chief executive officer of Cinepax, the top cinema circuit in the country. Boxoffice spoke with El Bacha at the Emerging Cinema Markers Conference in Istanbul, where she shared her dedication and inspiration to “build a family entertainment solution for Pakistani families belonging to all classes.”

Fazal Ahmad: Fazal had enough of the emptiness within and started his little adventure about 12 years ago. On this journey he’s worked as an assistant director in Shoaib Mansoor’s ‘Bol’ and Jami’s ‘Moor’, he has worked on more than a dozen short films as a Director of Photography (DoP). He has also written and directed three short films. Fazal’s photography work also covers a wide scope of subjects and themes covering countless professional and independent projects.

Armughan Hassan: Armughan Hassan embarked on his journey in the filmmaking genre in 1995, 3 years before even Graduating, by associating himself with a variety of advertising projects. His journey of feature films started with the editing of acclaimed Pakistani film “BOL” that took the box office by storm in 2011 and gave a new life to the dying Pakistani film industry. In 2013 he was selected as the IFP lab fellow for his remarkable work as cinematographer and film editor for the feature film “Dukhtar”. The film is the official Pakistani submission for the 87th Oscar Awards 2015. Armughan’s work was highly praised by the acclaimed critics in the International film market.

He has experience of working on a variety of genres including documentaries, feature films, dramas and music videos. After spending years in documentaries and Feature films, he has stepped into the mainstream TV commercials and is associated with the well known production company “iDcreations’ ‘ from where he has launched his directorial career.

Madeeha Raza: Madeeha Raza is the founder of Women Through Film. Women Through Film is a Pakistan based initiative trying to encourage and facilitate young girls and women to use self-expression, storytelling, fiction, and citizen journalism through filmmaking to raise their voice and create social change. Her work has been featured by BBC Urdu, BBC Asian Network, The Times & The Sunday Times UK, besides Dawn, Express Tribune and The News. She has recently been announced as the recipient of the LifeEffects Star Award 2017 at Croydon, London.