Singapore teens stand to win S$3,000 in 13-19 Art Prize
[SINGAPORE] Budding teenage artists now have more reason to pick up their brushes and sketchbooks – the 13-19 Art Prize has almost quadrupled its top cash awards, with winners now receiving S$3,000, S$2,000, and S$1,000, respectively. Previously, winners for gold, silver and bronze awards received S$800, S$500 and S$300, respectively.
Due to the prize boost, the competition deadline has now been extended from Jul 4 to 28 to encourage greater participation. The competition, now in its fifth edition, welcomes all teenagers aged between 13 and 19 from Singapore (for its physical category, which includes paintings and sculptures) and across South-east Asia (for its digital category).
Meanwhile, the cash prize for the merit awards have also been increased fivefold from S$100 to S$500.
Chua Rui Yan's painting Monotony previously won Gold for its depiction of our relationship with technology. PHOTO: TRCL
The major prize boost is made possible by a donation from independent art space The Culture Story, founded by art collector Chong Huai Seng and his daughter Ning Chong. The older Chong is chairman of the 13-19 advisory committee. Started in 2021, the contest is organised by not-for-profit organisation TRCL (The Rice Company Limited) and supported by The Business Times. It is co-sponsored by CGS International Securities Singapore, and its venue partner is Pontiac Land.
Since its inception, the contest has combined recognition with philanthropy – every winning artwork this year will be exhibited publicly for three weeks at Millenia Walk from Oct 8 to 30, and then auctioned online to raise funds for The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, a charity that provides free arts education to children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In conjunction with SG60, this year's participants are invited to create works that reflect on Singapore's 60th anniversary – from its diverse landscapes and cultures, to the quiet beauty of everyday life in the country. That said, the competition remains open to all themes. Past winners have explored everything from climate change to identity, memory, and personal loss.
Nur Tiara Delylah Suzaine's canvas Tied Together competed in a previous edition of the 13-19 Art Prize. PHOTO: TRCL
Chong says: 'The Culture Story believes in the importance of nurturing young artists. We have a flourishing arts landscape in Singapore yet many art lovers naturally gravitate to the established names. This is unhealthy in the long run as it undermines the potential of our younger talents. With the 13-19 Art Prize, I hope we can inspire more young artists to come forward with their skills.'
This year, the contest also includes a special section for intellectually disabled artists. This section, called Art Without Limits, has no age limit. Any person served by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore is welcome to take part in it.
For more information on 13-19 Art Prize, visit trcl.sg/13-19-art-prize. For more information on Art Without Limits, visit bt.sg/gFxE
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