2023 Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award Recipients with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ms Jane Ittogi, Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law, Ms Goh Swee Chen, Chairman of the National Arts Council (NAC), Mr Low Eng Teong, Chief Executive Officer of NAC and Ms Lynette Pang, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NAC. Image courtesy of the National Arts Council.

Eight artists were conferred the Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award at the Istana today. The three Cultural Medallion recipients and five Young Artist Award recipients made significant contributions to Singapore’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape across different art forms. They have achieved excellence in their respective fields of visual arts and film, literary arts and performing arts. The recipients’ artistic practices offer their unique perspectives on the intersections of art, history, tradition and the diversity of cultures. Collectively, they have helped to shape and define our distinct cultural identity over the years, drawing from the richness of communities within Singapore and around the region.

Established in 1979, the Cultural Medallion recognises individuals whose artistic excellence, as well as contributions and commitment to the arts, have shaped Singapore’s growing cultural landscape. Individuals conferred with Singapore’s top arts accolade have made significant strides locally and internationally, displayed extraordinary leadership and inspired younger artists.

This year, the Cultural Medallion was awarded to three individuals – Meira Chand, Osman Abdul Hamid and Suchen Christine Lim – for their invaluable contributions to the local Malay dance and literary arts scenes. This brings the total number of Cultural Medallion recipients to 135.

Instituted in 1992, the Young Artist Award honours practitioners aged 35 and below, in recognition of their impact to the community and how they continue to be inspiring role models who shape Singapore’s arts and culture.

This year, five recipients – Daryl Lim Wei Jie, Julian Wong, Melissa Tan, Shyan Tan, and Wang Chenwei – from diverse fields such as film, performing and visual arts were conferred this award. Beyond artistic excellence, each recipient embodies a deep sense of passion for their craft as they dedicate time to cultivate the next generation of artists. Including this year’s recipients, the Young Artist Award has been conferred on a total of 178 artists.