- Cultural Medallion awarded to two individuals with invaluable contributions to the local traditional Indian dance and theatre scenes
- Young Artist Award conferred to four recipients who pushed boundaries through exemplary practices across disciplines
SINGAPORE, 5 December 2022 - The National Arts Council (NAC) has conferred two Cultural Medallions and four Young Artist Awards today at the Istana. The distinguished awards recognise outstanding artists for their artistic excellence, distinctive body of works and contributions to developing our nation’s arts and cultural landscape. This year’s awards celebrate a diverse group of artists specialising in different fields, who have contributed to enhancing the vibrancy of our arts ecosystem and Singapore’s standing in the global art scene.
The Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award exemplify the distinctiveness of talent and artistry of practitioners who continue to explore novel avenues for creative expression while paving the way for new opportunities in Singapore’s art scene. Guest-of-honour President Halimah Yacob said, "Congratulations to all award recipients for their achievements and dedication to their respective creative practices. The continued growth of the local ecosystem of artists is heartening and reflects the importance of the arts in our way of life. We look forward to celebrating the lasting legacies of this year's recipients and hope that their accomplishments will inspire the wider community and future generations to continue enriching our arts scene.”
Cultural Medallion
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. Now in its 43rd year, the Cultural Medallion has been conferred to 132 artists across various disciplines.
Award-winning Artistic Director Aravinth Kumarasamy is well-known for conceptualising new and innovative ways of presenting traditional Indian dance productions and has developed over 35 original works showcasing the diversity and depth of his practice. A prominent figure in the world of Indian Dance ensembles, his work has been recognised locally and internationally. Under his leadership, Apsaras Arts travelled to over 40 countries for international collaborations and participated in festivals, placing the country’s Indian dance on the world map; in 2020, Apsaras Arts also received the National Heritage Board’s Intangible Steward of Cultural Heritage Award. Aravinth has been invited by global companies such as India’s pioneering dance institution Kalakshetra Foundation to mentor choreographers and the Lingalayam Dance Company in Sydney, Australia, to direct their annual dance productions. His role as an Artistic Director in Singapore saw him conceptualising dance productions that integrated local dancers across arts institutions. Notably, he directed a mega dance production in 2019, Natya Yatra — Celebrating 100 years of Indian Classical Dance in Singapore, which exemplified the collaborative spirit of Singapore’s Indian Dance fraternity. More recently, a collaboration with Wild Rice saw Agathi reimagined through a synthesis of theatre, poetry and Bharatanatyam. Aravinth has been committed to nurturing the next generation of local artists, having served as the panel of adjudicators and mentors for several national dance initiatives by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay and People’s Association, and has also led the Indian Performing Arts Convention to provide training and residency opportunities for young Indian dancers. With his contributions to the arts scene, Aravinth also received the Young Artist Award in 1999.
Veteran theatre practitioner, playwright and dramaturg Kok Heng Leun is a prominent figure in the Singapore arts scene with a longstanding artistic career of almost three decades. He has directed over 90 productions and, until recently, served as Artistic Director at Drama Box. Characterised by a distinctive artistic practice that centres on community and civic engagement, his framework has generated platforms for participatory and co-creative processes and is often developed in collaboration with marginalised communities. His body of work explores concepts from environmental issues to multilingualism, space, and the role of artists in society. Most recently, besides co-directing Ubin, an immersive theatre experience that uncovers the stories and sites of Pulau Ubin for the 2022 Singapore International Festival of Arts, Heng Leun was the dramaturg for da:ns festival 2022 festival production Infinitely Closer in collaboration with The Human Expression (T.H.E) Dance Company, and also for Dragon Ladies Don’t Weep, a sonic portrayal of new music icon Margaret Leng Tan. Heng Leun has shown the continuous broadening of his role in the arts and culture scene, delving into dramaturgy and working across performing art forms. Under his leadership and direction, Drama Box has established itself as a company dedicated to building a collaborative and integrative arts community, with a great sensitivity to the social issues and individuals that they work with. Heng Leun actively contributes to the scene’s growth by conducting workshops for actor training and providing theatre education; he also served as the former Nominated Member of Parliament from 2016 to 2018, championing the arts sector and the importance of the arts in civic life. His contributions have landed him multiple awards, including the Young Artist Award in 2000.
Young Artist Award
Instituted in 1992, the Young Artist Award honours practitioners aged 35 and below, encouraging them to continue pursuing artistic excellence and recognises their potential for more significant leadership roles in Singapore and overseas. This year, four recipients come from diverse fields such as animation, music, theatre, and other areas of the performing and visual arts. These practitioners continuously push the boundary in their art making through the use of technology, interdisciplinary collaborations to present innovative and creative works that put Singapore’s arts on the global stage. Beyond artistic excellence, each recipient amplifies their passion for sharing their craft with fellow practitioners and budding artists; they take on mentorship roles to nurture and inspire interest in their arts genres, sowing the seeds that will define the next generation of artists. To date, there are 173 Young Artist Award recipients.
- Guo Ningru is a Sound Designer who has created for some of Singapore’s top dance and theatre companies, such as Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) and T.H.E Dance Company. An NAC Arts Scholarship recipient, she graduated from the University of California Irvine’s renowned Sound Design programme, exploring Sound Design in various forms, including Sound Art, Game Sound Design, Dance Composition, and Immersive Spatial Audio. Ningru continues to create immersive audio technology designs through multi-directional audio and time-based localisation, pushing the boundaries of her work with every creation.
- Ho Rui An is an artist, writer, and researcher who works at the intersections of contemporary art, cinema, performance and theory. Having established himself with a distinctive performance lecture style practice, he navigates between anecdotal storytelling, visual analysis, and critical theory. Besides teaching professionally, Rui An sees his practice as a form of public pedagogy and often conducts talks and workshops to reach out to the broader community. His works have been presented at many prominent biennales and festivals worldwide, including the Bangkok Art Biennale (2020) and Gwangju Biennale (2018), gaining attention for his discursively compelling performances, films, and installations.
- Widely known as the Co-Director of the animated music video The Road Ahead for the National Day Parade 2021, animation filmmaker Jerrold Chong explores universal themes of connection, time, memory, and social issues through his works. His films have won numerous awards and screened at film festivals worldwide, including at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, Busan International Film Festival, and Singapore International Film Festival, amongst many others. Jerrold is also a key organising member of Southeast Asia’s largest animation festival Cartoons Underground and strives to help mentor and nurture a healthy and vibrant animation community.
- Flautist and music educator Rit Xu’s dexterity in being able to play different genres, from jazz to contemporary classical music, has made him internationally recognised as one of Singapore’s most versatile talents. A keen advocate of nurturing young musicians in Singapore and a key member of the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestras (JASSO), he serves as a mentor for young musicians in the orchestra’s youth wing. He is actively involved in collaborations with institutions and community leaders to promote music teaching and performances which champion the development of jazz pedagogy for music educators across all levels in Singapore.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong, said, "The Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award celebrate the artistic excellence of our artists and reinforces the Council’s unwavering commitment to the growth of Singapore’s unique art scene. The recipients have flown Singapore’s flag high internationally, inspiring our community and uplifting our nation’s vibrant arts landscape. We are committed to supporting our artists and empowering them as they continue pursuing their passion and pushing the boundaries of their creative practices.”
Last year, a public gallery, Our Cultural Medallion Story, was also launched at The Arts House to commemorate the legacies of past and present Cultural Medallion recipients. Since 2021, the gallery space has continuously provided a platform for supporting the works of Cultural Medallion recipients. This includes 2003 Cultural Medallion recipient Lim Tze Peng, who held an exhibition titled Soul of Ink in 2021 featuring 20 of the most recent ink works that he had completed since 2020, as well as 1987 Cultural Medallion recipient Mdm Som Said, who held an exhibition in 2022 titled Malay Dance in Singapore: The Som Said Journey, documenting the history, evolution, and direction of Malay Dance in Singapore from her perspective.
More of such diversified efforts for the community will be strengthened as NAC continues its work alongside government agencies and cultural institutions to document, profile and support the endeavours of our artists in charting the next phase of growth for Singapore’s arts scene through Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027). With capability development such as the Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award, the Council remains committed to building a sustainable and resilient arts sector through a creative economy, a connected society, and a distinctive city that champions artistic excellence and growth.
Please refer to the following Annexes for more information:
- ANNEX A – ABOUT THE CULTURAL MEDALLION AND 2022 RECIPIENTS
- ANNEX B – ABOUT THE YOUNG ARTIST AWARD AND 2022 RECIPIENTS
- ANNEX C – LIST OF SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT PANEL MEMBERS
For media enquiries, kindly contact:
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Jamie Choy Manager Tate Anzur DID: +65 9776 2223 Email: jamie.choy@tateanzur.com |
Krystle Huan Senior Manager, Communications & Marketing National Arts Council DID: +65 6346 9644 Email: Krystle_Huan@nac.gov.sg |
ANNEX A - ABOUT THE CULTURAL MEDALLION (CM)
The Cultural Medallion was instituted in 1979 as an initiative of the late President, then Minister of Culture, Mr Ong Teng Cheong, to recognise individuals who have attained artistic excellence in their fields of artistic practice and made a distinction to the nation’s arts and culture.
The Cultural Medallion is conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore and administered by the National Arts Council. As of 2022, 132 artists have been conferred the Cultural Medallion.
Cultural Medallion nominees are assessed upon the extent to which they have achieved or demonstrated all of the following:
- Artistic excellence and professional maturity manifest through an outstanding and distinctive body of work
- Extraordinary contribution and leadership in shaping the development of Singapore’s arts and culture; advancing their field of arts practice; bringing the arts to the local public through educational or community development efforts
- Being an inspiration and role model to other artists
- Good standing and recognition internationally
RECIPIENTS OF THE 2022 CULTURAL MEDALLION
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Aravinth Kumarasamy (Age, 56) – Artistic Director (Indian Classical Dance) |
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A multi-talented artist, Aravinth Kumarasamy (b. 1966) is involved in Indian dance, music, and other related fields, and is a prominent figure in the international Indian arts community. His dream and desire is to create and nourish a repertory company, a one-of-its-kind in Singapore as well as arguably across the world, in the space of Bharatanatyam. Much like his creations which are diverse in form and content, Aravinth is a storehouse of numerous identities which inspire and influence each other. An artist par excellence, he is conscious of tradition yet also cognisant of rapidly changing global dynamics where innovation and technology have vital roles to play. During the pandemic, Aravinth produced two unique digital and CGI-based dance films – ‘SITA’ (2020) and ‘AMARA’ (2020) – that pushed the envelope and pioneered a new possibility for the world of dance in exploring the digital space.
Under his leadership as Artistic Director, Apsaras Arts Dance Company has built a stunning repertoire, boasting more than 35 full-length productions, that sparkles with a distinct identity. As a Singaporean flag-bearer for Indian classical dance ensemble work which is inspired by South-east Asian narratives, the company raises a toast to the potential of Bharatanatyam which is presented at various venues and world-class festivals. Aravinth is also a champion of industry development, successfully curating and convening the Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC) annually in Singapore since 2012 and in Australia since 2021. He is the proud recipient of several awards including the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award (1999), Bharata Kala Mani (Apsaras Arts, 2000), Aryabhata (Arabhata Cultural Organisation, Bangalore, India, 2016), Kala Ratna (Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society, 2019) and Natya Kala Upasana (Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, 2019). |
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Kok Heng Leun (Age, 56) – Theatre Practitioner, Director and Playwright |
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Kok Heng Leun (b. 1966) is an exemplary theatre artist who has contributed widely as director, playwright, dramaturg, educator, and artistic director of multidisciplinary community arts projects. He is committed to socially engaged frameworks which generate platforms for participatory and co-creative processes, often developed in collaboration with marginalised communities. These projects show art as a poetic medium of expression, critical reflection and aesthetic exploration in everyday life. Collaborating with artists and stakeholders from sectors including heritage, health and policy-making, he innovates new approaches to dialogic performance, spearheading seminal projects such as ‘Project Mending Sky’ (2008, 2009, 2012), ‘IPS Prism’ (2012), and ‘Both Sides, Now’ (2013-present). He also builds opportunities for actor training and theatre education, which are integral to the enrichment and growth for practitioners. He encourages deep relationships with community and context, an appreciation of history, and respect for difference. Critical productions that embody these motivations include ‘Drift’ (2007), ‘Trick or Threat!’ (2007), ‘It Won't Be Too Long’ trilogy (‘The Lesson’, ‘The Cemetery: Dawn’, ‘The Cemetery: Dusk’) (2015), ‘Tanah•Air 水•土: A Play In Two Parts’ (2019), and ‘ubin’ (2022).
Through his practice and pedagogy, Heng Leun has inspired fellow artists and students, locally and abroad, to continually review the role of the arts in society. Renowned internationally for his ability to spearhead contextually grounded processes that are inclusive and adaptive, he is frequently invited to direct, dramaturg and teach in varied spaces. Key projects include ‘Dragon Ladies Don’t Weep’ (2020, Asia TOPA, Australia), ‘Nüwa’ (2018, Shanghai Puppet Theatre, China), and ‘Xiao Di Bao’ (2011, Centre for Applied Theatre, Taiwan). As Nominated Member of Parliament (2016-2018), Heng Leun championed the importance of the arts sector in contemporary urban society, addressing issues such as social justice, cultural equity and gender parity. Heng Leun has also received the Young Artist Award (2000) and Cultural Fellowship (2014) by the National Arts Council, Singapore. |
ANNEX B - ABOUT THE YOUNG ARTIST AWARD (YAA)
The Young Artist Award was introduced in 1992 to encourage the development of artistic talent in Singapore. It is conferred by the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and administered by the National Arts Council. The Award is accorded to artists aged 35 years and below at the point of nomination who have shown promise of artistic excellence and leadership in the fields of literary arts, performing arts, visual arts and film. As of 2022, 173 artists would have been conferred the Young Artist Award.
Young Artist Award nominees are assessed upon the extent to which they have achieved or demonstrated all of the following:
- A strong body of work that gives evidence of a clear artistic vision and the potential for continued excellence
- Significant contribution and positive impact in shaping their field of practice and Singapore’s artistic development, with the potential to play a greater leadership role
- Ability to be an inspiration and role model to other artists in Singapore and overseas
Recipients of the Award will be eligible for a grant of $20,000, which supports their artistic development and pursuits within two years after they receive the Young Artist Award.
RECIPIENTS OF THE 2022 YOUNG ARTIST AWARD
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Guo Ningru (Age, 35) – Sound Designer |
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Guo Ningru (b. 1987) is a sound designer with more than a decade of experience designing sound for both local and regional productions. Her interest in music and theatre took root in secondary school and led her to pursue a degree in Technical Theatre Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts, specialising in Sound Design. In 2016, upon receiving the National Arts Scholarship from the National Arts Council, Singapore. She furthered her education pursuing an MFA in Sound Design at the renowned Sound Design programme at University of California Irvine (UCI) where she graduated in 2019. Ningru believes strongly that art not only has an impact on lives but can also inspire social change. She sees her work as an extension of that possibility and continues to explore ways to elevate the human experience through sound design |
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Ho Rui An (Age, 32) – Visual Artist |
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Ho Rui An (b. 1990) is an artist and writer working in the intersections of contemporary art, cinema, performance and theory. His work often takes the form of long-term, research-based projects examining systems of governance in a global age. In 2021, his first major institutional solo exhibition opened at Kunsthalle Wien. In the same year, he was a finalist for the Future Generation Art Prize, one of the largest global contemporary art prizes for young artists. In 2018, he was a fellow of the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program.
As a performer, he has presented work at festivals such as Theatertreffen, Berlin, SPIELART Festival, Munich and TPAM – Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama. His work has also circulated within film networks, most prominently at the 65th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen in Germany, where he won the International Film Critics’ Prize (FIPRESCI Prize). He is also a prolific writer who has authored many books and essays, including a forthcoming monograph published by Spector Books, Leipzig. Approaching his work as a form of public pedagogy, he has taught at several educational institutions across Asia and Europe and frequently organises workshops and dialogues to broaden the public discourse around contemporary art in Singapore and beyond. |
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Jerrold Chong (Age, 31) – Animation Filmmaker |
| Jerrold Chong (b. 1991) is a writer, director and animation filmmaker. He is the co-founder of local independent animation studio, Finding Pictures, as well as the Programme Director for Cartoons Underground, South-east Asia’s largest independent animation festival. His animated works are often surreal, at times absurdist, tales that explore human connection, time and memory through the mediums of stop-motion and hand-drawn animation. His films tell human stories that blur the lines between the real and unreal, introducing worlds and characters that are unnerving, foreign and enigmatic, while investigating darker and more mature themes like xenophobia, consumerism and social inequality. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)’s prestigious animation programme where he honed his artistic voice. His first film ‘Nascent’ (2014) won the Best Animation Award at the 6th Singapore Short Film Awards, while his subsequent films ‘Ways of Seeing’ (2015) and ‘Eclipse’ (2016) both premiered at Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) before travelling to numerous international film festivals. Upon his return home, he was commissioned by Singapore Writers Festival to adapt a local literary text to screen, as part of its Utter programme in 2017, the result of which is ‘What Has To Be’ (2017), a black-and-white graphite animated film about two grieving parents confronting the inevitable truth of their unborn child. It won Best Animation at National Youth Film Awards (NYFA) Open Category and the Craft Superstructure Award for the Best Film at CRAFT International Animation Festival.
His stop-motion, cut-out animated film ‘Piece of Meat’ (2019) premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and screened at festivals such as Busan International Film Festival, Annecy International Animated Film Festival, SGIFF. He wrote and co-directed ‘The Brown Dog’ (2020), a commissioned film as part of the 15 Shorts initiative. In 2021, together with his team at Finding Pictures, he co-directed the National Day Theme Song music video ‘The Road Ahead’, which topped YouTube’s Top 10 Music Video List that year and has garnered 4.3 million views on the platform thus far. As a writer/director, he has participated in film labs including SGIFF Southeast Asian Film Lab in 2016, Annecy MIFA Animation Du Monde in 2019 and Docs by the Sea Storytelling Lab in 2022. In 2022, Jerrold was awarded the Youth Inspiration Award at National Youth Film Awards, which recognised his contributions as an arts educator and a mentor in the animation film community. |
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Rit Xu (Age, 33) – Flautist and Composer |
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Rit Xu (b. 1989) is an internationally recognised flautist, music educator, and one of Singapore’s most versatile talents who has distinguished himself through his lyrical, thoughtful and emotionally driven performances on the flute. Widely known for his dexterity, he excelled in both jazz and contemporary classical music with elegance and breath-taking virtuosity. As a bandleader and composer, Rit is a leading global voice on the flute in jazz and whose musical vision reflects his improvisational and compositional mastery, melded with a deep commitment to his Singaporean heritage. In 2014, Rit won the USA National Flute Association (NFA) Jazz Artist Competition, making him the first Singaporean (and Asian) to win a prominent solo jazz competition in the United States. Rit and his band (Rit Xu Group) have also represented Singapore at major international music festivals since 2019, such as the Vientiane International Jazz Festival, Singapore International Festival of Arts, Taiwan International Flute Festival and the Papandayan Jazz Festival (Indonesia). The band independently released their first EP ‘This Too Shall Pass’ in 2019, followed by a full-length album ‘Scenes and Stories’ in 2021.
As a concerto soloist, Rit has performed with the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan), Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra as well as the Busan Maru Festival Orchestra (South Korea). Rit has also collaborated and performed with international artists such as Gil Goldstein, Alex Sipiagin, Billy Cobham, Randy Brecker, Hubert Laws, Antonio Hart, Jeremy Monteiro, Chok Kerong. Rit serves on the faculty at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore Raffles Music College as well as ensemble-in-residence at YSTCM. Rit is also active in mentoring numerous young and aspiring musicians in the community through several music programmes such as the Lion City Youth Jazz Festival and the Singapore Street Festival. He is currently Assistant Music Director of JASS. |
ANNEX C - LIST OF SPECIALIST PANEL MEMBERS
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Award |
Name |
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Dance
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Dr Uma Rajan (Chairperson) Mr Low Eng Teong (Co-Chairperson) Dr David Zeitner Ms Low Mei Yoke Ms Melissa Quek |
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Film |
Mr Joachim Ng (Chairperson) Mr Low Eng Teong (Co-Chairperson) Ms Emily Hoe Mr Gary Goh Mr He Shuming Ms Jacqueline Tan Mr Tan Wei Keong |
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Literary Arts |
Assoc Prof Chitra Sankaran (Chairperson) Mr Low Eng Teong (Co-Chairperson) Mr Chow Teck Seng Mr Daren Shiau Ms K Kanagalatha Prof Koh Tai Ann Ms Lee Huay Leng Ms Pooja Nansi Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay Mr William Phuan |
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Music |
Mr Eric Watson (Chairperson) Mr Low Eng Teong (Co-Chairperson) Ms Christel Hon Prof Jeremy Monteiro Ms Lynnette Seah Dr Ng Seng Hong Dr Tay Teow Kiat Dr Uma Rajan Mrs Wong Lai Foon |
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Theatre |
Ms Yvonne Tham (Chairperson) Mr Low Eng Teong (Co-Chairperson) Mr Chong Tze Chien Dr Jeffery Tan Ms Jobina Tan Ms Michele Lim |
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Visual Arts |
Mr Low Sze Wee (Chairperson) Mr Low Eng Teong (Co-Chairperson) Dr Bridget Tracy Tan Ms Emi Eu Ms Khim Ong Mr Milenko Prvacki Mr Ong Kim Seng Mr Robert Zhao Renhui Mr Seng Yu Jin Ms Tang Ling Nah |