A prize is a form of reward given to someone or something for achieving some notable accomplishment. These awards usually come with some form of financial compensation, but may also include special recognition or other perks. In Singapore, there are many prizes available to those who achieve outstanding accomplishments in a variety of fields. The Vogue Singapore x BMW Innovation Prize for Fashion is one such award that seeks to empower the next generation of innovative designers in the fashion industry. Shortlisted applicants will have exclusive access to a four-week programme curated by Vogue Singapore, featuring a boot camp with laureate speakers and mentorship sessions to help them refine their business model and take it to the next level.
This year’s Singapore Literature Prize awarded 12 winners in Chinese, English and Malay – the most in the program’s history. More writers than ever made the final cut, with first-time winners such as novelist Balli Kaur Jaswal and poet Yong Shu Hoong in the fiction category and poets rma cureess and Pan Cheng Lui winning in the poetry categories.
The Best Literary Work went to Leluhur: Singapore Kampong Gelam by NUS historian John Miksic, a book that explores the city-state’s development through the lens of its past kampongs and settlements. The book won the top $50,000 Singapore dollar prize, while finalists included Epigram Books’ The Accidental Malay by Karina Bahrin and Marshall Cavendish International Asia’s Dearest Intimate by literary stalwart Suchen Christine Lim.
Meanwhile, the Best Non-Fiction Work went to The Comfort Women Of Singapore In History And Memory by National Institute of Education professor Yong Siak Hong and co-authors. The judges praised the book’s “depth of research and narrative clarity” and said it was a must-read for those who want to understand Singapore society and its people.
Similarly, the Best Design prize was awarded to CapitaSpring, a green skyscraper designed by Bjarke Ingels Group and Carlo Ratti Associati that features offices, residences, retail spaces and public gardens. The jury lauded the design’s “groundbreaking contribution to economic transformation, improving quality of life and advancing Singapore’s brand, culture and community” and said it was an exemplar of sustainable urban planning.
The President*s Design (P*DA) 2023 awards were announced last week. The awards recognize designers who make a significant impact on the local and global communities. Henning Larsen, BIG and the Singapore Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai were among the winners.
The NUS Singapore History Prize was also recently awarded. The prize is administered by the Department of History at NUS and was established in 2014 through an endowed gift from an anonymous donor. The prize aims to recognise works that explore important aspects of Singapore’s story. The top prize is $50,000 Singapore dollars, while the shortlisted books will be publicly announced and featured on the program website.
