The Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Serbia (ULUPUDS) was formed in 1953, on the initiative of eminent artists, members of the applied arts section of the Association of Visual Arts of Serbia (ULUS), academics: Ivan Tabakovic, Mihailo Petrov, Branko Sotra and Djordje Krekic.
ULUPUDS`s first president was the famous Belgrade architect Milan Minic (1953-1963), who was succeeded by Dragoslav Stojanovic Sip (painter and graphics artist), Andrea Milenkovic (painter and graphics artist), Branko Bon, (architect); Miodrag Zivkovic, (sculptor), Miodrag Djordjevic (photographer), Branislav Subotic (painter), Branko Pesic (architect) ...
Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of numerous members and independent artists who were trend-setters for the whole cultural scene, the Association became the driving force for the establishment and development of all areas of applied art and design in Serbia.
Immediately after its foundation, ULUPUDS`s opened its first permanent sales gallery in Terazije in 1953, and in 1969 it began holding exhibitions at 12 Uzun Mirkova Street. The Association has been using the SINGIDUNUM Gallery at 40 Knez Mihailova Street since 1978.
The Association held its first visual arts exhibition - known as the May Exhibition - in 1955 at the Museum of Applied Arts in Belgrade, and it was to become ULUPUDS`s most important annual exhhibition.
In 1959, the Association launched the Golden Pen illustration exhibition where illustrators from all over Yugoslavia and abroad have been taking part since 1962 and 1966 respectively.
Other traditional exhibitions that have been held include: Visual Arts March (1962); Caricature (1970); which subsequently became known as the Golden Smile biannual international exhibition; Fashion Meeting (1970); the New Members` Exhibition (1972); Design in Serbia (1975); Scenography and Costumography, and many more.
Together with social and commercial institutions, the Association launched a range of initiatives with the aim of making applied arts and design more accessible to business and the general public. These include cooperation with the Modern Home organisation, the “Taste, Distaste” exhibition (1958), cooperation with the Belgrade Tourist Organisation, the Subject of Memories exhibition (1962) and many others.
Since 1964, further sections have been created covering the fields of architecture, textile and modern costume, art photography, scenography and costumography, sculpture, graphics, paintings, ceramics, and art history. In 1971, a section for design, conservation and restoration was established.