The NUS Singapore History Prize will be doubled from SGD$50,000 to SGD$100,000. In addition, a new category for the Prize will be created. So far, this Prize has been awarded only to books. Now, a new category will include all forms of non-print media which engage deeply with Singapore history. This new category will be called “The Arts and Multimedia Category”. The Prize will alternate between the new Arts and Multimedia Category and the existing Book Category every three years. It will be awarded to a multimedia and/or artistic historical work in the third year and to a book in the sixth year over a six-year cycle, starting from 2025. This new development seeks to further the objective of the Prize, which is to deepen the understanding of Singaporeans and the world of Singapore’s rich and vibrant history.

The Department of History at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is delighted to announce the expansion of the esteemed NUS Singapore History Prize. It recalls that the NUS Singapore History Prize was launched in 2014 with a generous endowment from an anonymous donor inspired by Mr. Kishore Mahbubani's article, “Three stories to strengthen the Singapore spirit,” published in The Straits Times on 12 April 2014. The donor's vision is for the Prize to recognize works that are accessible to the general public, motivating them to engage with and understand Singapore’s history more profoundly. The Prize likewise aims to inspire new insights on the history of Singapore. In 2025 the anonymous donor generously contributed once again to the Prize to both increase the amount for the prize from S$50,000 to S$100,000 and generate a new category for the NUS Singapore History Prize.

The donor strongly believes that Singapore citizens can also learn more about Singapore’s rich history from mediums other than books. These mediums could include documentaries, films, visual arts, performing arts, installation art, podcasts, and videos (excluding audiobooks, books in printed form, and e-books). However, this is a non-exhaustive list as the Prize should also remain open for new mediums that emerge in the coming years. This move to establish a new category of the NUS Singapore History Prize reflects NUS’s commitment to foster a comprehensive appreciation of Singapore’s past through accessible and modern platforms.

The Arts and Multimedia Category will mirror the Book Category in its selection process, with the winner determined through an open public competition. For the 2025-2027 competition, the organizers will accept nominations from any artist, author, playwright, performer, producer, or publisher of a multimedia and artistic historical work delivered in the English language (works translated into the English language are also acceptable). The work should address any field, theme, or time period of Singaporean history, with the goal of providing either new insights or new ways of exciting the imagination of Singaporeans about Singapore’s history.

For the first round of the Arts and Multimedia Category, there will be no limitations on the date of production as the goal is to open the window as wide as possible in the first round. However, nominations will be restricted to a maximum of three works per applicant. Nominations will have to be submitted by 31 May 2027.

A distinguished Jury Panel chaired by Mr. Mahbubani will judge the Prize and announce a winner in 2027. Mr. Mahbubani said: “Singaporeans should deliver a massive vote of thanks to the anonymous donor, who has doubled the prize money and encouraged the creation of a new category that will enable Singaporeans to engage more deeply with their rich history. There is no doubt that for the next phase of Singapore’s national development, the Singaporean sense of national identity must be deepened and strengthened. The best way to do this is to develop a deep and common understanding of Singapore’s history. Hence, in addition to its academic and scholarly contributions, the NUS Singapore History Prize is also supporting a strong national imperative.”

For further queries, please email to hisprize@nus.edu.sg