【News】Paintbrushes Awaken Awareness of Ocean Sustainability

The Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) hosted its 15th annual Climate Change Painting Competition to encourage elementary and middle school students to pay attention to climate change and sustainable development issues through art. This year's theme was "Paint the Sea, Protect Its Beauty", and called on children to start with the ocean and use their brushes to protect our future. The competition attracted more than 6,000 people from 21 countries.

Painting Competition 15th Anniversary

Following three stages of rigorous selection, the judges selected 402 works from the national traditional painting group, 168 works from the international traditional painting group, and 40 works from the digital painting group. Special thanks to the University of Taipei for providing venue support for the final selection event, which enabled the judging process to be carried out smoothly. The winning works will be unveiled in both online and physical exhibitions starting mid-July, inviting people from all areas of society to appreciate these creative achievements that combine childlike fun with profound environmental awareness.

Dr. Eugene Chien, the general coordinator and TAISE chairman, said this year's theme focuses on the ocean and the future – echoing the Institute's long-term philosophy of promoting sustainable education. The selected works are full of imagination and delicate observation, and demonstrate a high degree of sensitivity to both climate and ocean related issues. This competition has been going on for 15 years and is an important milestone in Taiwan's promotion of sustainable education. We look forward to continuing our mission of inspiring future generations to care for the earth through artistic creation.



The competition was particularly fierce this year, and the judges agreed that it was not easy to select the winning works. Chen Kuang-Yi, chief judge of the middle and high school group and director of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, pointed out that the student’s works exhibited rich creativity on issues such as marine conservation, biodiversity, and habitat protection. He also praised the technical skills on display in the pieces themselves, especially noting that the composition and use of color were amazing. Focal elements of the paintings, such as whales, dolphins, turtles, penguins and polar bears, reflected both a respect for natural life, as well as a strong sense of imagination.

The Competition was Fierce and the Judging was Very Stressful

Chiyi Chang, president of the Taiwan Design Research Institute, believes that the children have – through their art – transformed abstract climate issues into both vivid stories and concrete actions, demonstrating extraordinary perception and empathy. 
Pei-Jie Meng, director general of the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute, National Institutes of Applied Research, said that even though the painting style may sometimes lack polish, it is full of sincere emotions and keen environmental insight, showing that artistic creation has become a key tool of sustainable education.
Lin Mun Lee, Emerita Professor of National Taipei University of Education, believes that the theme "Paint the Sea , Protect Its Beauty" successfully guided the children to explore the marine environment with their paintbrushes, and created a starting point to expand their perspective to the global stage. The works show not only careful observation and imagination, but also portray a deep sense of environmental responsibility and advocacy, proving the profound impact of art education on children's worldview.
Chung-Ling Chen, president of the National Academy of Marine Research, remarked that the works cover a wide range of topics such as maritime pollution, ecological conservation, climate change, fishery culture, etc., reflecting the students' broad understanding of diverse environmental issues. He believes that the competition was not just a competition, but also a perfect chance for the younger generation to participate in society and care about the ocean. He hopes that art will continue to drive social action in the future.


Using Media Freely to Convey Responsibility to Generations

Wu Long-Rong, the chief judge of the middle and lower grade group and honorary chair of the Association for Education Through Art Republic of China, said that the children showed the educational results of SDG14 "Conserving Marine Ecology" from the perspective of maritime citizens. Illustrator Wang Chuen-Tz pointed out that this year's works are full of childlike fun and infectious joy, showing concerns and visions for the future of the ocean. Illustrator Rebecca Chen remarked on how the diverse choice of media, paper, and paint breaks beyond the restraints of more traditional frameworks, making the works more vivid and unrestrained.
Artist Keui-Chih Lee said that students paid attention to climate change, overfishing, extreme weather, and other issues through painting, and also reflected the impact of different environmental conditions in different regions on their creations. Ming-Yuan Wang, museum director of the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, pointed out that children are highly sensitive to marine waste and ecological crises, and their works reflect a sense of responsibility to protect the ocean from generation to generation.


In the digital painting category, Illustrator CROTER praised the winning works for their flexible use of digital tools, as well as their creativity and thematic depth. Illustrator Chimas emphasized that the creative process allows children to shift from observation to action, which is the most valuable educational significance; Chang Hui-Chun, board director of the Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation, noted that some works integrated personal experience, ESG concepts, and natural philosophy, demonstrating the diverse potential of painting to transform issues. In the future it has the potential to push beyond traditional boundaries and foster even deeper, more nuanced expressions.

This competition was organised by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ocean Affairs Council, and co-organised by the Department of Environmental Protection, Taipei City Government, the Environmental Protection Bureau Of Tainan City Government, and the Environmental Protection Bureau Kaohsiung City Government. It was supported by Shin Kong Life Insurance Co., Ltd., Chung Tai Resource Technology Corp, CTCI Corporation, Taiwan Soka Association, the Merit Times, National Museum of Marine Science & Technology, Epson Taiwan Technology & Trading Ltd., and QMOLiu Stationery CO., LTD., and sponsored by ARTCO KIDS, MORITA BIOTECH CO., LTD., and the Trust in Nature Foundation.

Exhibition Information
The winning works will be exhibited online starting in July 2025 and will be exhibited throughout Taiwan. The exhibition schedule is as follows:
Global ｜Online Exhibition: From July 2025
Taipei ｜ Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 (Asia Pacific Sustainability Expo): September 11 to September 13, 2025
Kaohsiung ｜ Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Zuoying Store 11F Cultural Center: October 4 to October 30, 2025
Keelung｜National Museum of Marine Science and Technology: November 15, 2025 - February 22, 2026
Taipei ｜ MRT Zhongxiao Art Gallery: March 2 to March 30, 2026

Let children’s creations move beyond the drawing board and onto the social stage, using color and imagination to advocate for ocean sustainability, and help shape a new chapter in Taiwan’s sustainable education.