The Galactic Empire Painting Contest was an artistic competition held on two separate occasions in the year 1 ABY.
On the Galactic News Network, Emperor Palpatine surprisingly declared a call to all artists serving the Empire. He requested that they produce an Imperial painting destined to overshadow all previous masterpieces. According to an Imperial source, this initiative represented the Emperor's initial move to dominate the creative arts sector. His objective involved eliminating all artistic creations throughout the galaxy that he attributed to those he deemed morally corrupt.
The painting titled United in Our Cause was the first to be chosen through this contest. Subsequently, a second contest was organized, resulting in the selection of the painting Imperial Oasis Incident.
In response to the announcement, the Rebel Alliance declared their intention to organize their own painting contest.
The "Create a Painting Contest" within the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies featured the Galactic Empire Painting Contest. The winning entry was United in Our Cause by Zel, from the Bloodfin server. Victorious Reign was the runner-up, and Empire secured third place. It's believed that Victorious Reign's second-place finish in real life was influenced by concerns regarding its similarity to Nazi propaganda. This included the SS symbol and the Stormtrooper's gesture that resembled a Hitler salute.