For over a decade of working with both private and under-resourced schools across Pakistan, Discovering New Artists (DNA) noticed a consistent pattern: artwork from under-resourced schools looked markedly different from that of private and elite schools. It wasn’t a difference in talent — it was a difference in exposure. Many of these schools had no formal art education at all, leaving students to work with low-quality materials and little room to move beyond safe, representational drawing.
DNA believes no child should be left behind when it comes to holistic learning. So in September 2025, under a workshop within TAFCA, DNA worked with 13 female students, aged 12 to 15, at Hope Uplift Foundation School — an under-resourced school in Lahore.
Rather than focusing on realistic drawing or aesthetic perfection, the workshop invited students to experiment with color, shape, texture, and composition, drawing inspiration from the emotion and imagery of poetry. Woven throughout were pedagogical interventions rooted in social-emotional learning, using art-making as a bridge for participants to connect with each other and with their own feelings.
The impact went beyond the artwork itself. Students explored creativity without fear of “getting it wrong,” building confidence, emotional expression, and a sense of creative agency many had never had space for before. It’s a small workshop that reflects a bigger belief: process-based, contemporary art education isn’t a luxury for well-resourced schools — it’s a tool for growth every child deserves, regardless of background.
