The Singapore Prize recognizes Singapore arts practitioners who demonstrate professional maturity and have made noteworthy contributions to its artistic industry. Established in 1989, this prestigious awards programme covers film, literary arts and performing arts with more than 132 winners to date.
Prize money for top three athletes at this year’s Southeast Asian Games has been reduced from S$30,000 to S$20,000 due to an ongoing investigation by their governing body, in which two medallists admitted using drugs while competing abroad.
Singapore’s National Museum of Singapore opens this weekend, showcasing Singapore’s diverse cultures through a range of objects in its new permanent galleries – including Malay Gallery and NEXT gallery which explores life after death through art and religious traditions from across Asia.
Suhanya Singh, Director of National Museum of Singapore remarked “it is an immense honour for museums to receive such recognition and become places where people can learn about Singapore’s rich heritage and diverse communities through these new galleries”.
Over the past months, there have been significant modifications to the award categories and prizes of Singapore Prize – a biennial book award intended to ignite non-academic readers with interest in Singaporean history and culture – making its intricate past more accessible. Established as part of Singapore’s 50th Anniversary commemorative programs in 2014 by NUS Department of History.
This year’s Singapore Prize goes to Prof John Miksic’s book Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea: 1300-1800, written as archaeologist Prof John Miksic began working in Singapore starting from 1984 conducting test excavations at Fort Canning before moving on to NUS Department of East Asian Studies.
He told the judges that his book aimed to demonstrate to fellow discovery volunteers the significance of their efforts while increasing public knowledge about Singapore’s heritage.
However, some may choose to disregard this advice and go straight for the most lucrative investments – like property or annuity markets. Shortlisted works included the fiction novel Sembawang by Jeremy Tiang, which follows an extended family through leftist political movements and detentions from 1955-1957; Vincent Tong’s State Of Emergency depicting one of Singapore’s most dangerous gangsters; Hidayah Amin’s non-fiction work Leluhur: The Story of Kampong Gelam which sheds light on an often forgotten community within Kampong Glam; A four-member jury led by NUS East Asian Institute Chairman Wang Gungwu and awarded at a ceremony on Tuesday awarded them with their prize. Prince William, chairing the Earthshot Prize programme established by his Royal Foundation charity, noted that all 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize program showed hope amidst climate change. These included Indian makers of solar dryers, soil carbon marketplaces and groups working towards cleaner electric car batteries as well as protecting Andean forests, among others.