120 years old The Bombay art society was established in 1888 by artists and art lovers with the objective of encouraging art , particularly among amateurs , and of educating the native public to an appreciation of its merits.

An art institution which is founded by art lovers , run by artists , and receives little help from the State- if this, or any such institution can survive for a hundred and eighteen years –then it is an extraordinary event and all the artists who are associated with this great institution have every reason to feel proud.

The Bombay Art Society is perhaps the only organization in India, to promote Fine Art in India from the last decade of 19th century . The society’s annual competitive shows attract artists from all over the country .In spite of the significant role that this art organization has been playing , there was no permanent office for its use ,nor a gallery of its own to hold its exhibitions and develop other art promotional activities .Though several art galleries mushroomed around and prospered on the works of great artists ,the Bombay Art Society continued its existence by arranging its annual shows.

Over a period of time the Bombay Art Society faced many ups and downs but never deterred form its goal- to promote art and artists. History had witnessed the up rise of a great number of artists promoted by the Bombay Art Society who later carved their own niches in the field of visual arts , nationally and internationally. The art happenings like our annual art exhibition play a vital part in the upcoming of the aspiring artists and educating people in appreciating visual art by bringing them together on one platform –and this was the prime objective of the Society when it was founded in 1888.

For the last four years we have been assiduously working with the same goal – we have resolved to bring back the same majesty and glory to the society in which it used to shimmer in the days gone by.

The excellence of the works displayed at our exhibitions , the sales , instituting achievement honour –Roopdhar, the increased numbers and amounts of the awards , a support from Lalit Kala Academi ,the production of values of our catalogues and journal , the transparent working of the Society , our endeavours to build society’s own art complex are few of these revolutionizing changes.

Despite inadequate resources and no income source except from the sale of annual art exhibitions and donations we are doing our best to uphold the tradition of this 119 years grand organisation.