Silpakorn University, established in 1943 by the Italian sculptor Corrado Feroci (who took the Thai name Silpa Bhirasri), is Thailand's premier fine arts university. It occupies a historic site beside the Grand Palace walls in Rattanakosin, and its buildings include a former royal palace structure alongside newer facilities.
The university art gallery runs a continuous programme of exhibitions — student shows, faculty retrospectives, and national competitions — that provide an accessible entry point to contemporary Thai visual art. Entry is free or minimal charge. The campus atmosphere, with students carrying canvases and the smell of oil paint in the studios, provides a welcome contrast to the temple circuit that dominates the surrounding neighbourhood.