The formation of the Collection of Fine Artists of Niš should be linked to the numerous exhibition activities of Niš artists. Ever since the establishment of the Society of Fine Artists of Niš /1948/, which later grew into a branch of ULUS and ULUPUDS, the fine artists of Niš have been working intensively on the affirmation of the fine arts life in the city. They, joining the contemporary trends of Yugoslav art, participated in republican, federal and foreign exhibitions and received significant awards. Thanks to their initiative, the work of the fine arts colony in Sićevo was renewed and the Gallery of Contemporary Fine Arts was founded.
During the seventies and eighties, the collection was filled mainly with purchases from ongoing collective and individual exhibitions. However, the greater part of the Collection was filled thanks to the art colony in Sićevo, an art colony in Lucerne founded in the early 1980s by Dr. Dušan Pajić in cooperation with the Society of Members of the ULUS Niš and the SLU Gallery. Since 2005 – when the Sićevo graphic workshop was established – the Collection has been filled with works by graphic artists who live and work in Niš.
Niš artists have been noted at national art festivals, winning prestigious awards such as Olga Milić – first prize for sculpture at the October Salon /1983/ and Nikola Antov – the Golden Chisel sculpture award at the annual exhibition of the ULUS. /1984./
In addition to the sculptors, it is important to note that at the spring exhibitions of the ULUS in Belgrade, the highest awards went to Niš artists Momčilo Mitić for painting – Golden Palette /1990./ and Franc Curko. – Golden Needle, for graphics. /1992./ whose works are in the Collection.
Artists such as Rade Antic, Stojko Stojkovic, Momčilo Mitić, Nikola Antov, Miroslav Anđelković, Miodrag Anđelković, Dragan Kostić, Miomir Cvetković, Perica Donkov are represented with a larger number of works in the Collection so that their overall artistic development can be more easily seen.
The medium of photography is the least represented in this collection. However, the work of Nenad Mladenović entitled Portrait stands out /purchased for the Fund in 1977 from a joint exhibition with Dragan Drobnjak/.
Today, the collection has a total of 332 works: paintings: 192, graphics: 72, drawings: 29, sculptures: 36, expanded media: 3, representing a significant part of the rich artistic creativity of the city.
