Launched in 1982, the annual art competition is the longest-running in Singapore and one of the most recognised in Southeast Asia.

Currently held in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, the competition continues to uncover the next generation of great Southeast Asian artists, and contribute to greater awareness and appreciation of art.

The 1st UOB POY Singapore competition was jointly organised by UOB and then Ministry of Culture. To date, UOB Painting of the Year has uncovered more than 1,000 artists across the region, of which, seven alumnus in Singapore have received the Cultural Medallion award.

Depicted in Chumphon Estuary by Pratchaya Charernsook, 2023 UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award winner, the imminent threat posed by microplastics infiltrating our life-giving waterways serves as a stark reminder of the need for conservation and sustainable practices to preserve our planet's fragile ecosystems. The conflict between nature and man’s actions, symbolised by the tumultuous energy of a breaking wave bringing invasive particles, underscores the urgency of our environmental crisis.

Relive the 42nd UOB Painting of the Year Awards Ceremony here

Purchase wearable art pieces co-created by UOB Painting of the Year winning artists and artists with special needs from JOURNEY bit.ly/UOBxJOURNEY.