# Cultural Medallion

The Cultural Medallion (Malay: Pingat Budaya) is a cultural award in Singapore conferred to those who have achieved artistic excellence in dance, theatre, literature, music, photography, art and film. It is widely recognized as Singapore's pinnacle arts award.

## History

The award was instituted in March 1979 by Minister for Culture Ong Teng Cheong and administered by the National Arts Council. The awards was given by the Minister for Culture.
Since 2006, the award was presented by the President of Singapore instead of the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (previously known as Minister for Culture). On 20 October Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lee Boon Yang announced that project grant for the award is revised to S$80,000 upwards from S$50,000, giving recipients better opportunities to create major works.
From 2013, in an effort to recognise multi-disciplinary artists, it was announced that recipients of the Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award will no longer be categorised according to art forms.

## List of Cultural Medallion recipients

| Year | Category | Name |
| 1979 | Dance | Madhavi Krishnan |
| 1979 | Theatre | Bani Bin Buang |
| 1979 | Music | Choo Hoey |
| 1979 | Music | David Lim Kim San |
| 1979 | Literature | Edwin Nadason Thumboo |
| 1979 | Art | Wee Beng Chong |
| 1981 | Dance | Goh Soo Khim |
| 1981 | Theatre | Joanna Wong Quee Heng |
| 1981 | Music | Ahmad bin Ja'afar |
| 1981 | Literature | Wong Meng Voon |
| 1981 | Art | Lee Hock Moh |
| 1981 | Art | Ng Eng Teng |
| 1982 | Theatre | Lin Chen |
| 1982 | Music | Leong Yoon Pin |
| 1982 | Literature | Goh Poh Seng |
| 1982 | Photography | David Tay Poey Cher |
| 1982 | Art | Georgette Chen Liying |
| 1983 | Theatre | Christopher Henry Rothwell Allen |
| 1983 | Music | Vivien Goh |
| 1983 | Literature | Arthur Yap |
| 1983 | Photography | Ang Chwee Chai |
| 1984 | Theatre | S. Varathan |
| 1984 | Music | Kam Kee Yong |
| 1984 | Photography | Yip Cheong Fun |
| 1984 | Art | Thomas Yeo |
| 1986 | Theatre | Low Ing Sing |
| 1986 | Literature | Lee Tzu Pheng |
| 1986 | Photography | Tan Lip Seng |
| 1986 | Art | Tay Chee Toh |
| 1987 | Dance | Goh Choo San |
| 1987 | Theatre | Almahdi Al-Haj Ibrahim |
| 1987 | Theatre | N Palanivelu |
| 1987 | Music | Paul Abisheganaden |
| 1987 | Literature | Wong Yoon Wah |
| 1987 | Art | Pan Shou |
| 1987 | Art | Teo Eng Seng |
| 1988 | Dance | Som Said |
| 1988 | Theatre | Max Le Blond |
| 1988 | Music | Teng Mah Seng |
| 1988 | Literature | Muhammed Ariff bin Ahmad |
| 1988 | Photography | Lee Lim |
| 1988 | Art | Tan Swie Hian |
| 1989 | Dance | Lim Fei Shen |
| 1989 | Theatre | Tay Bin Wee |
| 1989 | Music | Alexander S. Abisheganaden |
| 1989 | Literature | Singai Mukilan (N Abdul Rahman) |
| 1989 | Photography | Chua Soo Bin |
| 1989 | Art | Iskandar Jalil |
| 1990 | Dance | Neila Sathyalingam |
| 1990 | Theatre | Kuo Pao Kun |
| 1990 | Photography | Foo Tee Jun |
| 1990 | Art | Goh Beng Kwan |
| 1991 | Dance | Santha Bhaskar |
| 1991 | Theatre | Han Lao Da |
| 1991 | Music | Lim Yau |
| 1991 | Literature | Chew Kok Chang |
| 1991 | Photography | Peng Seng Wu |
| 1991 | Art | Anthony Poon |
| 1991 | Art | Ong Kim Seng |
| 1993 | Dance | Ying E Ding |
| 1993 | Theatre | Phan Wait Hong |
| 1993 | Music | Choo Hwee Lim |
| 1993 | Art | Wang Sui Pick |
| 1994 | Music | Tay Teow Kiat |
| 1995 | Dance | Goh Lay Kuan |
| 1995 | Art | Han Sai Por |
| 1996 | Music | Phoon Yew Tien |
| 1996 | Literature | Lew Poo Chan (Dan Ying) |
| 1997 | Theatre | Lou Mee Wah |
| 1997 | Literature | Ho Minfong |
| 1998 | Literature | Rama Kannabiran |
| 1999 | Literature | Abdul Ghani Hamid |
| 1999 | Art | Chua Ek Kay |
| 2000 | Art | Tan Siah Kwee |
| 2001 | Art | Tan Kian Por |
| 2001 | Music | Yan Hui Chang |
| 2002 | Music | Jeremy Monteiro |
| 2003 | Art | Lim Tze Peng |
| 2003 | Theatre | Ong Keng Sen |
| 2003 | Literature | Yeng Pway Ngon |
| 2004 | Photography | Teo Bee Yen |
| 2005 | Film | Jack Neo |
| 2005 | Literature | M. Balakrishnan (MA. Ilangkannan) |
| 2005 | Music | Dick Lee |
| 2005 | Visual Arts | Chng Seok Tin |
| 2005 | Visual Arts | Lee Wen |
| 2006 | Art | Tan Choh Tee |
| 2006 | Music | Lynnette Seah |
| 2007 | Film | Eric Khoo |
| 2007 | Literature | Isa Kamari |
| 2008 | Literature | Chia Hwee Pheng |
| 2008 | Literature | P. Krishnan |
| 2008 | Music | Iskandar Mirza Ismail |
| 2009 | Dance | Angela Liong |
| 2009 | Literary Arts | Tham Yew Chin |
| 2009 | Music | Lan Shui |
| 2009 | Visual Arts | Ang Ah Tee |
| 2010 | Music | Liang Wern Fook |
| 2010 | Literary Arts | Suratman Markasan |
| 2010 | Visual Arts | Amanda Heng |
| 2011 | Music | Kelly Tang |
| 2011 | Visual Arts | Lim Yew Kuan |
| 2011 | Theatre | Atin Amat |
| 2011 | Music | Yusnor Ef |
| 2012 | Literary Arts | J.M. Sali |
| 2012 | Music | Jennifer Tham |
| 2012 | Theatre | Thirunalan Sasitharan |
| 2012 | Visual Arts | Ho Ho Ying |
| 2012 | Visual Arts | Milenko Prvacki |
| 2013 | Theatre | Ivan Heng |
| 2013 | Literary Arts | Mohamed Latiff Mohamed |
| 2013 | Music | Tsung Yeh |
| 2014 | Theatre | Alvin Tan |
| 2014 | Visual Arts | Chong Fah Cheong |
| 2014 | Literary Arts | K. T. M. Iqbal |
| 2015 | Visual Arts | Chua Mia Tee |
| 2015 | Theatre | Haresh Sharma |
| 2015 | Literary Arts | Lim Hung Chang (Lin Gao) |
| 2015 | Music | Margaret Leng Tan |
| 2016 | Visual Arts | Koh Mun Hong |
| 2016 | Music | Asiah Aman (Nona Asiah) |
| 2017 | Theatre | Djamal Tukimin |
| 2017 | Music | Law Wai Lun |
| 2018 | Music | Louis Soliano |
| 2018 | Dance | Low Mei Yoke |
| 2019 | Music | Eric James Watson |
| 2020 | Visual Arts | Sarkasi Said |
| 2020 | Visual Arts | Vincent Leow |
| 2021 | Literary Arts | Chia Joo Ming |
| 2021 | Music | Rahimah Rahim |
| 2022 | Dance | Aravinth Kumarasamy |
| 2022 | Theatre | Kok Heng Leun |
| 2023 | Literary Arts | Suchen Christine Lim |
| 2023 | Dance | Osman Abdul Hamid |
| 2023 | Literary Arts | Meira Chand |
| 2024 | Music | Dr Ghanavenothan Retnam |
| 2024 | Visual Arts | Siew Hock Meng |