News Release - 20 May 2026

 


UOB Malaysia invites artists to its 16th Painting of the Year competition

Submissions open to all Malaysians and permanent residents from now until 31 July 2026

 


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 20 May 2026 – UOB Malaysia welcomes established and emerging artists to bring their expressive ideas to life through compelling works of art at the 16th UOB Painting of the Year (POY) (Malaysia) competition.

 

The UOB POY competition is the Bank’s flagship regional art programme and is one of Southeast Asia’s most prestigious art competitions for artistic excellence. Launched in Malaysia in 2011, the art competition is concurrently held across Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The competition reflects UOB’s commitment in giving back to the communities by discovering and nurturing artistic talent, while offering one of the country’s highest cash prizes.

Ms Ng Wei Wei, Chief Executive Officer, UOB Malaysia said, “The UOB POY competition has been part of Malaysia’s artistic landscape for more than 15 years. We are proud to see a great diversity of artworks submitted each year, reflecting the growing vibrancy of Malaysia’s art scene. Through initiatives like UOB POY, we bring art closer to people, empowering aspiring talents to realise their potential, while cultivating a strong and inspiring creative community in Malaysia.”

This year, UOB is introducing enhanced criteria for the Established Artist category to better recognise seasoned artists in the art scene. This ensures artists are assessed alongside peers of similar experience, enabling the competition to celebrate artistic growth and commitment. Artists who plan to submit their artworks under the Established Artist Category will need to fulfil a minimum of three prerequisites below:

  • Currently or have been represented by commercial art galleries.
  • Sold artworks.
  • Participated in a group or solo exhibition.
  • Received a grant or commission to create artworks for commercial entities, institutions or any organisation.
  • Is a recipient of art-related awards, locally or outside of Malaysia.

Beyond the competition, UOB Malaysia continues to create meaningful opportunities for winning artists to gain international exposure, showcase their work, and connect with global audiences. The Bank has featured artworks by UOB POY (Malaysia) winners across diverse artistic disciplines at Art Central Hong Kong, including Yim Yen Sum, Amsyar Ramly, Seah Ze Lin, Nik Mohd Shazmie and Putra Aqmal Danish. UOB facilitated an artist dialogue by the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) Singapore where UOB POY (Malaysia) 2016 country winner, Yim Yen Sum, shared insights into her artistic practice alongside fellow UOB POY artists.

Call for the 16th UOB POY (Malaysia) competition entries The UOB POY (Malaysia) competition is open for submission to all Malaysian citizens and permanent residents, aged 16 years old and above, until 31 July 2026 at UOBandArt.com.

The 2026 UOB POY (Malaysia) competition features judges including:

  1. Ms Intan Rafiza, an art curator and distinguished Malaysian artist, leading conservation efforts at the National Art Gallery while actively curating major exhibitions across the country.
  2. Mr Kow Leong Kiang, an award-winning Malaysian artist renowned for his expressive portraiture, with notable achievements including the Grand Prize at the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards in 1998.
  3. Mr Heru Hikayat, an Indonesian contemporary art curator with over 20 years of experience, recognised for major exhibitions and his multidisciplinary exploration of art’s link to culture and human experience.

The winners of the UOB POY (Malaysia) will be revealed during an awards ceremony held in September 2026. The country winner will be awarded RM100,000 and will earn the honour of representing Malaysia at the regional level. Country winners from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam will go on to compete for the UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award, which carries an additional prize of S$13,000 [or approximately RM40,000] and an opportunity to participate in an overseas artist residency programme sponsored by UOB. The regional winner will be announced in Singapore in October 2026.

All award recipients will be part of UOB Artist Alumni Network – a dedicated platform designed to create a dynamic community that nurtures the continued growth, visibility, and success of these talented individuals, enhancing their creative journeys beyond the art competitions.