A book on the history of Singapore’s first airport won a top prize at this year’s singapore prize. The program honors books in four languages with a focus on how they resonate with readers. Its 2022 winners were announced in a ceremony attended by actors including Sterling K. Brown and Hannah Waddingham and singers such as Bebe Rexha. Clara Chow, who was shortlisted in English fiction and Chinese creative nonfiction, is the first writer in the prize’s 30 years to have her work recognized twice. The awards program is sponsored by the state-owned Media Corp of Singapore and features 12 categories across Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.
The prize was boosted by a generous donor this year, who doubled the amount of the cash award and added a new category. The new Arts and Multimedia Category opens the prize to multimedia and artistic historical works, in addition to books. It will alternate with the Book Category over a three-year cycle, and be judged by a panel led by former diplomat and Distinguished Fellow at NUS’ Asia Research Institute Kishore Mahbubani.
In its 2022 competition, the Jury Panel picked Reviving Qixi: Singapore’s Forgotten Seven Sisters Festival by Lynn Wong Yuqing and Lee Kok Leong, as well as Theatres of Memory: Industrial Heritage of 20th Century Singapore by Loh Kah Seng, Alex Tan Tiong Hee, Koh Keng We, and Juria Toramae. The judges found both books to be compelling and riveting, extending Singapore’s history back long before Sir Stamford Raffles.
This year’s competition also included a violin category for the first time, with USD $110,000 in cash and multiple concert engagements awarded to Dmytro Udovychenko, Anna Agafia Egholm, and Angela Sin Ying Chan. The winners were selected by an international jury that includes acclaimed violinists Qian Zhou (Chair), Martin Beaver, and Mihaela Martin, along with Joshua Kangming Tan.
The prizes were presented at a glitzy event held in Singapore’s Victoria Theatre. The event emphasized sustainability and the environment, with presenters such as Yen wearing a 10-year-old dark green suit from Alexander McQueen and Mbatha dressed in a navy blue gown from the brand. Actors and other guests were encouraged to bring their own reusable cups for water and drinks.
The winners were chosen by a panel of independent judges, which included authors and scholars from universities and other academic institutions around the world. The judges are all experts in their respective fields, with backgrounds that include law, education, finance, medicine, and the media. The winner in each category will receive a trophy, as well as the opportunity to participate in an international workshop on the topic of their book. They will also receive a grant to help with the publication of their book, and will be featured in an exhibit at the National Library of Singapore. In addition, the winners’ works will be distributed to libraries across the country and will be displayed in public spaces such as malls and museums. The winner of the Youth Prize will also receive a grant to help them with their studies at a university abroad.