Celebrate Malaysia’s cultural heritage through art

KUALA LUMPUR: Bringing art closer to inspire and connect with communities, the Usaha Tegas Heritage Art Competition is back for its 23rd year and invites young Malaysian artists to celebrate the nation’s rich cultural history through art.

The art competition focuses on the theme of “Malaysian Heritage,” with a special emphasis on our nation’s intangible cultural heritage in this year’s competition.

The theme is also in line with Malaysia’s entry into the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (IGCICH) under UNESCO for the 2022-2026 term.

UT Heritage Art Competition chairman Henry Tan said “Our intangible cultural heritage celebrates the traditional knowledge, skills, practices, and living expressions that are inherited from our ancestors and passed down from generation to generation.

“While buildings, monuments, and historic places are often carefully preserved and restored, intangible cultural heritage often includes oral traditions, the performing arts, customs and social practices, and traditional crafts, are often overlooked.

“We believe intangible culture heritage is just as important as the tangible heritage in maintaining cultural diversity and ensuring the continuity of our traditions for future generations of Malaysians.”

The annual competition is open to emerging young Malaysian talents in schools, especially those in universities and colleges in Malaysia.

There are five categories of artworks: charcoal or pencil or oil pastel or ink, mixed media, oil or acrylic, printmaking, and watercolour.

Participants can submit as many entries as they would like and participate in more than one category.

The first prize winner in each category will receive RM8,000 in cash, the runner-up will receive RM3,000 in cash, the third prize winner will receive RM2,000 in cash, and two consolation prize winners will receive RM500 each.

In addition, all winners will receive an award certificate and RM500 worth of TGV Cinemas vouchers.

All young Malaysian artists are encouraged to participate in the competition to celebrate Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage.

The deadline for registration is Sept 30 and the final artwork submission deadline is Oct 9.

Usaha Tegas, founded by T Ananda Krishnan, has interests in various local and international companies operating across diverse industries including telecommunications, media, property, as well as oil and gas.

For more information on this year’s competition including how to register and participate, visit the competition’s official website at https://www.usahategasheritage.org.my/. For enquiries, email utheritage@ut.com.my or call 03-2380 6451 (UTH Info).