Callighzart

About Callighzart

About

Callighzart is a multidisciplinary art platform dedicated to preserving heritage, empowering artists, and redefining how art is experienced in the modern world. Founded in 2015, Callighzart began with a clear purpose to honor the discipline of traditional calligraphy and fine art while building a structured ecosystem that enables artists to thrive sustainably. What started as a studio practice rooted in craftsmanship has evolved into a platform that bridges tradition with technology, while creating structured opportunities for artists in today’s evolving creative economy.

At its core, Callighzart exists to protect and elevate art forms that risk being overlooked in mainstream markets, while embracing contemporary and emerging creative disciplines. The platform integrates physical exhibitions, national convention showcases, curated gallery experiences, and digital infrastructure to ensure artists are both visible and valued. Beyond exhibition, Callighzart focuses on structured growth for creative. Through digitization, online showcases, and scalable trading models, the platform supports artists not only in creating work, but in building sustainable careers and ensuring that artwork is positioned professionally and reaches wider audiences.

A central pillar of Callighzart’s mission is community engagement through art education and therapeutic practice. The platform has worked closely with children, including students with special needs across the autism spectrum, providing structured calligraphy and art exercises designed to improve focus, coordination, and emotional regulation. Families have observed meaningful behavioral improvements, reinforcing the belief that disciplined artistic practice can serve as both creative expression and developmental support. These programs reflect Callighzart’s broader commitment to making art accessible, purposeful, and impactful beyond traditional gallery spaces.

The scope of the platform continues to grow across visual arts, calligraphy, theatre, music, film, and other creative disciplines. By combining cultural integrity with modern systems and technology, Callighzart supports both preservation and progress. The long-term objective is to strengthen the socioeconomic standing of artists while cultivating appreciation for refined artistic expression across communities.

Our Team

Founder

Samad Rashid

Samad Rashid is the Founder of Callighzart and the strategic architect behind its evolution into a modern art platform. With a background in technology and systems development, he recognized a recurring challenge i.e. highly skilled artists lacked structured access to visibility and scalable revenue models.

In 2015, he formalized Callighzart to bridge that gap. Under his leadership, the organization expanded from a private studio into a recognized presence at national conventions, including MAS-ICNA in Chicago and Baltimore, as well as curated exhibitions and gallery showcases open to the wider Chicago community.

His vision extends beyond exhibition. He has led efforts to digitize artwork, introduce structured art trading models, and explore smart contract integration to align fine art with the evolving digital economy.

Co-Founder

Rashid Anjum

Rashid Anjum is a master calligrapher and visual artist whose work is rooted in classical technique and cultural continuity. For decades, he practiced his craft independently, creating intricate compositions defined by discipline, balance, and respect for tradition.

Following his relocation to the United States, he continued his artistic practice while expanding into mentorship. Through structured calligraphy workshops, he introduced students to Khattati and Khushkhati, emphasizing control and patience.

Senior Curator

Dr. Wardah Naeem Bukhari

Dr. Wardah Naeem Bukhari (b. 1988, Lahore, Pakistan) is an artist, independent curator and art educator. She holds a Ph.D. in Art History, with all academic credentials evaluated as equivalent to U.S. degrees by World Education Services (WES). Her interdisciplinary practice integrates cultural heritage preservation, and creative entrepreneurship, with demonstrated impact across academic, institutional, and community-based settings. As an art educator, she trains students not merely as practitioners but as entrepreneurial thinkers capable of launching sustainable creative enterprises that generate income and community value.

Her curatorial projects have received international recognition. Reimagined Contemporary Art and Ecology at Fakir Khana Museum was long-listed for the 2025 ICOM Sustainable Development Award, selected from over 130 projects across 60 countries. Her subsequent exhibition, Heritage Revived: Artistic Expressions from Punjab’s Golden Era (2025), activated dormant museum collections while generating economic opportunities for local artisans—a replicable model applicable to cultural institutions in underserved American communities. She has contributed a biography to the forthcoming Oxford Companion to Pakistani Art and authored approximately fifteen peer-reviewed articles (2019–2025) on museum pedagogy, marginalized representation, and the strategic value of university collections.

Two of her research has been presented in the International Council of Museums at the 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai (2025) and artist talk at the South Asian Women Collectives in New York (2016), Pendik International Traditional Art Festival and Conference in Istanbul (2015).

Curated Shows by Callighzart