Established in 18 August 1969 by 13 young watercolour enthusiasts, the Singapore Watercolour Society (SWS) is the only non-profit art organisation in Singapore that focuses on the art of watercolour painting.  With the ever-increasing membership of more than 150 artists, the society holds its annual exhibitions in September each year. Members also get together for outdoor/plein air painting sessions every week and the society organises overseas painting trips regularly.

Since its establishment, SWS has organised and participated in major exhibitions in Singapore and abroad. As part of our community outreach, we have initiated the National Junior Watercolour Competition to generate interest in watercolour painting amongst the younger generation. Students from various schools are invited, and winners are given cash awards and certificates. A special pre-competition workshop is also organised to prepare the young participants for the competition. In conjunction with SG50 Jubilee Celebration, SWS has partnered with Lianhe Zaobao, the main Chinese daily, to provide a painting every week, for the whole of year 2015, to complement their special weekly write-up on the historical places of Singapore. Singapore Watercolour Society has been operating from Telok Kurau Studios since 1997. Members gather regularly at the studio for painting activities and many visiting artists have come to give talks, demo and workshops.