The winner of this year’s Singapore Prize for Creative Arts is a UK-Singaporean author who has written a novel that focuses on the experience of trauma. The prize, which was established in 2022 by Temasek Trust and Britain’s Prince William, will award the writer a PS10,000 grant to support her next book. The Singapore Prize for Creative Arts aims to recognise and encourage creativity among young people in the country. The winners will receive a cash prize and a trophy.
In a move to promote the use of digital tickets, the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) has launched an initiative that rewards visitors for purchasing and using their e-tickets. The e-tickets can be used in conjunction with the museum’s mobile apps, which are available on iOS and Android devices. The NMS has said that the initiative will help reduce paper waste, as fewer printed tickets will be sold. It also aims to increase the number of visits by visitors who use the e-tickets.
NMS’s e-ticketing system is the first in Asia to provide the option for visitors to purchase and redeem their tickets through the NMSD app, which also allows them to scan and store the ticket on their mobile phones. The system also offers an interactive map of the museum, a list of exhibits and a link to the online shop. In addition, visitors can make reservations and pay for tickets through the NMSD app.
Britain’s Prince William will visit Singapore this month to name the winners of his Earthshot Prize, which he created in 2020 to help find solutions to climate change. The annual awards ceremony, which was previously held in London, will be the first to be hosted in Asia and will feature five winning projects that address key environmental challenges.
At the media briefing before his arrival, the prince praised the work of the 15 finalists, who range from creating solar-powered dryers to combat food waste to making electric car batteries greener. He added that he believes the winners “prove hope does remain as we tackle some of our most intractable challenges”. The event will be attended by celebrities including actors Donnie Yen, Lana Condor and Nomzamo Mbatha and wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin.
The 2021 NUS Singapore History Prize was awarded to Hidayah Amin for her book Leluhur: Singapore Kampong Gelam. The book traces the history of the Gedung Kuning area in Kampong Glam through interviews with former residents. The citation reads that the book is “a synthesis of history and primary sources”. The prize was introduced in 2014 and is administered by NUS’ Department of History. It aims to “cast a wider net for works that deal with Singapore’s history”, and includes books by authors of all ages.
During his visit, the prince will attend a briefing and meet with finalists of the competition, which is open to all Singaporeans. He will also unveil the new trophies that will be presented to this year’s winners.
