An 18-year-old artist named Shazil is the face of Dubai’s newest neurodiverse art exhibition this November.
Some artists find their voice in a studio. The super talented Shazil Salman found his through therapy sessions, turning into a pro one brushstroke at a time.
The 18-year-old neurodivergent artist is now preparing for his first exhibition. “Little Pieces of Shazil” will open in Dubai on Sunday, November 1, giving visitors a chance to see his work up close and take a piece of it home.
The event is being organized by million little pieces, an art initiative that works with neurodivergent individuals through therapeutic art. It is the group’s first neurodiverse art exhibition.
The show is billed as an exhibition and art sale celebrating art, expression, and neurodiversity. It will run from 3pm to 6pm at The Space in Dubai Production City.
Shazil has spent the past two years working with the initiative’s founder through therapeutic art sessions, according to an announcement shared on Instagram.
“I’ve watched him explore, express and create in his own wonderful way. And now, it’s time for his art to be seen and celebrated,” the founder wrote.
The exhibition’s poster sets the tone. Bold, brush-painted letters spell out the title on torn strips of paper, with Shazil’s name in bright blue across the bottom.
Art and Opportunities for People of Determination
Organizers say the exhibition is about recognizing creativity in all its forms and creating more opportunities for People of Determination, the term the UAE uses for people with disabilities.
Neurodiversity refers to the natural differences in how people’s brains work, learn, and process the world. It includes conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.
Art therapy is often used to help neurodivergent people communicate and express emotions in ways that words sometimes cannot. For Shazil, those sessions have now grown into a body of work ready for a public audience.
Tickets for the exhibition are available through the link in the million little pieces Instagram bio.
The exhibition takes place on Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 3pm to 6pm at The Space, Dubai Production City.
