Singapore is investing $20 million to encourage artists and arts groups to create works that celebrate the country’s rich multicultural identity, alongside the appointment of a new panel of arts and cultural leaders to help shape the future of multicultural arts.

The President’s Challenge Multiculturalism Panel (PCMP) brings together 12 respected figures from Singapore’s arts scene, including Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award recipients, educators, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, musicians and arts leaders. Together, they will help guide initiatives that encourage artistic collaboration across cultures while strengthening traditional art forms.

At the heart of the initiative is the new Multicultural Arts Programme (MAP) Grant, jointly funded by the President’s Challenge and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). Applications are now open until 15 September 2026.

The grant supports both individual artists and arts organisations developing projects inspired by Singapore’s multicultural landscape. This includes works rooted in a single cultural tradition, collaborations between different artistic traditions, and new creative expressions that blend multiple cultural influences.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the initiative reflects the evolving nature of Singapore’s multicultural identity. “We are evolving our multiculturalism. It will have to grow naturally, not match a set template, as artists take forward their own traditions, create together, and sometimes even cross over to master another culture. What hopefully emerges in time will be a deeper, and distinctly Singaporean, multicultural identity.”

The new panel is co-chaired by Teoh Zsin Woon, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, and Dr Venka Purushothaman, President of LASALLE College of the Arts.

Joining them are ten prominent figures from across Singapore’s arts community:

• Meenakshy Bhaskar
• Boo Junfeng
• Dr Azhar Ibrahim
• Kok Heng Leun
• Dr Susie Lingham
• Felix Phang
• Dr Suriani Suratman
• Yvonne Tham
• Wang Chenwei
• Riduan Zalani

The panel will advise on the implementation of the MAP Grant, identify opportunities to strengthen Singapore’s multicultural arts ecosystem, and support programmes that encourage artistic exchange across cultures and disciplines.

The MAP Grant offers funding of up to $500,000 for artistic productions and up to $300,000 for ecosystem development projects, supporting initiatives such as performances, festivals, research, education programmes, documentation projects and regional collaborations.

The initiative aims to create more opportunities for artists to experiment, collaborate and deepen their practice, while giving audiences access to a wider range of arts experiences that reflect Singapore’s diverse cultural heritage.

More details about the grant and application dates can be found on NAC’s website here.