– This evening, 64 heritage philanthropists, comprising organisations and individuals, were honoured for their contributions made to heritage causes in 2022 at the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) annual Patron of Heritage Awards. Held at the historic Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, the ceremony was officiated by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law. Totalling about S$17.73 million, the patrons’ contributions of cash and artefact donations, as well as in-kind support, were crucial in upholding efforts to safeguard our heritage and enrich the sector. This is a significant increase from the S$1.66 million contributed in 2021, signifying an uplift in heritage philanthropy in tandem with the nation’s economic recovery since the onset of the pandemic.

In a milestone change, from this year, the Awards has expanded its criteria to encourage more diverse forms of giving and welcome a wider pool of contributors to Singapore’s dynamic heritage landscape. The updated criteria now recognise contributions to long term heritage-related initiatives organised by sector players such as community organisations and non-profit interest groups, beyond museums. It will also include non-artefact donations that have historical or cultural significance or immovable property that support heritage causes and the sector.

Under the expanded criteria, the Portabella family was recognised as a Distinguished Patron for their one-of-its-kind donation of a heritage building situated at 141 Neil Road. The building has been donated to the National University of Singapore (NUS) as a research and training centre dedicated to the conservation of architectural heritage, along with a gift of S$2 million to fund the restoration of the building.

Gifts from patrons have strengthened museums’ collections and offerings, allowing more to enjoy Singapore’s rich culture. Private Singaporean collector Mrs Alice Tan received the Distinguished Patron award for her donation of an extensive 577-piece collection of Straits Chinese ceramics and Chinese export silver to the NUS Museum. Marking the largest collection donated to 1 the NUS Museum by a single collector, the artefacts will enrich understanding of the variety of historic Peranakan wares in existence and contribute to a deeper study of the impact of Straits Chinese culture in Singapore and the region.

The recently reopened Peranakan Museum received gifts of cherished objects from various benefactors such as Mr Ponnosamy Kalastree, whose donation of early photographs and paper items belonging to his family provides a visual and textual documentation of the Peranakan Indian (Chitty Melaka) community in Singapore, aiding the exploration of the multi-faceted diversity of Peranakan culture and communities.

Contributions also went towards efforts that make heritage more accessible to the young. Stephen Riady Foundation’s donation to the Children’s Museum Singapore, which was launched last December, will go towards enhancing the museum’s educational offerings, and support its aim to be a place of wonder and joyful learning for our young to engage with heritage, while allowing families to create memories together.

Equally important is the unwavering commitment of long-standing donors, which continues to fuel our heritage endeavours. Singapore Airlines Limited, a repeat Patron of Heritage Awards recipient, donated a set of its first-generation Business Class and Suites cabin seats from its Airbus A380 aircraft to the National Museum of Singapore, a testament to the success story of our national carrier. The Suites cabin seat is now showcased at the Museum’s ongoing exhibition titled Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s–2000s. Following his 1995 donation of the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings to the National Museum, philanthropist Mr Goh Geok Khim further donated copies of a limited-edition catalogue featuring full-coloured prints of the drawings, with proceeds from the catalogues’ sale going towards the Museum. Repeat awardee and artist Mr Milenko Prvacki also gave a sculpture titled Picnic In The Garden created by his wife Delia Prvacki to the NUS Museum, showcasing the range of contributions which enrich our vibrant cultural landscape.

The heritage sector has also benefitted from patrons who supported through their professional expertise or other forms of in-kind giving. Homegrown innovation company Pan-United Corporation supplied a special self-compacting concrete to hold a display of a historic Singapore Armed Forces tank on the lawn of the National Museum that complemented the Museum’s exhibition, Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942. It also produced a striking #SGNIGHTFEST installation for Singapore Night Festival 2022 using 2 sustainable raw materials, which measured more than seven metres in length. A longtime strong supporter of Singapore’s language campaigns, SBS Transit Ltd generously contributed advertising space on its buses to promote the Speak Good English Movement, Speak Mandarin Campaign, and Bulan Bahasa (Malay Language Month). Other patrons include heritage skincare brand Sulwhasoo Singapore, which presented two wellness workshops for the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) as part of the Body and Spirit: The Human Body in Thought and Practice special exhibition.

The Patron of Heritage Awards contributes to two of the four key building blocks 1 in Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0 – namely Industry, by inspiring more support to enrich the vibrancy of the ecosystem through the growth of heritage philanthropy; and Community, by encouraging the community to actively contribute to heritage and co-develop offerings with NHB and sector players especially in view of the Awards’ expanded criteria.

Initiatives, such as the Collecting Contemporary Singapore project by the National Museum encouraging public contributions of objects and stories, and this year’s launch of a new design collection for the nation covering a range of design disciplines from fashion to graphic design and architecture, provide more opportunities for giving. Notably, one of Singapore’s most prolific fashion designers, Mr Andrew Gn, recognised as a Partner in this year’s Awards, contributed over 160 fashion works to ACM, kickstarting the expansion of Singapore’s design collection. The majority of these creations were featured at the Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World retrospective exhibition which opened earlier in May this year at ACM.

Ms Yeoh Chee Yan, Chairman, NHB, said: “My heartfelt thanks to all who have, over the past three decades of NHB’s inception, contributed to the transformation of our museums and heritage scene, making it the vibrant ecosystem it is today. As we journey on together with your enduring support and embark on a new chapter of growth with Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0, let us work towards forging a future where our heritage is celebrated, cherished and co-created by all.”

Find out more about the Patron of Heritage Award 2022 here