Our World In The Year 2000

In 1998, Winsor & Newton launched a painting competition on the theme of "My Country In the Year 2000". The aim was to reach out, encompass and listen to all the nations of the World.

The objectives of the competition were split into three areas. Firstly to look at the world through the eyes of the artists. Secondly, to reveal the extraordinary diversity of artistic expression around the world, and finally, to celebrate the millennium with a unique and historically important exhibition of world art.

The competition was to be inclusive rather than exclusive, open to as many people in the world as possible, irrespective of age, sex, cultural background, and artistic training. The media to be used by the artists included water colour, acrylic, oils, gouache and pastels. The focus was on drawn and painted media rather than collage, photography or computer aided art.

Artists were free to interpret the theme in any way, which suited their subject, style and technique, whatever artists felt represented their country in their own distinctive manner.

Each participating country was told to hold their national competition legs between July 1998 and March 1999 to select their top five winning paintings. These five paintings were then sent to London to represent their country at the worldwide judging event at St. James’s Palace on 23rd June 1999.

The response to the competition was beyond Winsor & Newton’s wildest dreams. A total of 51 countries entered with over 22,000 entries, which led to what has been officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records, as the largest painting competition in history.

The judging at St. James Palace was supported by HRH The Prince of Wales. When he heard of the competition, not only did he agree to become a patron, but he also allowed time to chair the international judging panel.

The judging comprised of four separate procedures, whittling the 253 national winners down to the final twelve. A further two judging procedures then saw the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed paintings selected.

For more information about the competition, the winning paintings and the resulting exhibitions, please explore this site further.