The Singapore Prize is a literary award that recognises works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry written by writers in the four official languages of Singapore: Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. It is administered by the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) and is supported by the National Arts Council and the National Library Board.
The prize is awarded biennially, with 12 top prizes of up to $10,000 given for fiction, non-fiction and poetry in all four languages. In recent years, the award has also been expanded to include two categories for readers’ favourite works in each language, as well as a special prize for an author who translates his or her work into another language.
A total of 43 authors in both English and Chinese, as well as two in Malay and Tamil, were shortlisted for this year’s competition, which was judged by a panel of literary experts. In addition to a prize purse of 3,000 Singapore dollars (US2,158), each winner gets a commissioned trophy, as well as a 12-month gift code for StoryTel.
This is a great opportunity to showcase your writing. As an added incentive, your work may be published on the Singapore Prize website.
Those who win the prize are encouraged to visit Singapore and present their winning work at the Singapore Book Festival in October, where they will receive a cash prize of 3,000 Singapore dollars and a commissioned trophy. In addition, their work will be featured in the prestigious annual Singapore Writers’ Awards, which also features a cash prize of 3,000 Singapore dollars for the best works by local writers.
In addition to these prizes, the organisers of the Singapore Prize will provide each writer with a complimentary copy of their winning book. It is hoped that the awards will contribute to building a flourishing literary scene in Singapore.
The award has an emphasis on quality, and is open to all literary works published in Singapore. It encourages writers in all genres to take up writing seriously, and gives them the chance to showcase their work.
To win the prize, your work must be in one of the following genres: novels or short stories; creative nonfiction; children’s and young adult fiction; and poems or short stories that are set in Singapore. Alternatively, you can also win by creating an audiobook version of your work.
It is a good idea to try to enter the prize before it closes. This allows you to get in touch with the judges and get feedback on your work. It will also give you an opportunity to network with other writers and literary professionals, which will help you further your writing career.
In addition to the prize, you will also be invited to participate in a special event during the prize ceremony. This will give you the chance to meet fellow writers, publishers, and other industry professionals.
You will also be provided with a commemorative tee shirt that you can wear to the event. The tee is specially designed by Singaporean artist Yen Ye Wong and features the logo of the Julius Baer Group.