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North East CDC

Inclusive Arts Award

The Kiat Lim–Shaping Hearts Awards and Neo Kah Kiat Arts Awards provide bursaries and grants to support artists with disabilities and celebrate their diverse talents.

Last updated 26 May 2026

SUPPORTING AND RECOGNISING ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE

People stand on a red stage holding certificates in front of a backdrop for the "Kiat Lim Shaping Hearts" awards.

At North East CDC, we are committed to celebrate and uplift artists with disabilities. We introduced two prestigious awards: one recognising overall artistic achievement, and another honouring excellence in painting.

Application for the Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts Awards 2026 are now closed. Thank you for your submissions.

Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts Awards

The Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts Awards is designed to nurture artists with disabilities throughout their artistic journey, from early education to professional development. The awards consists of scholarship, bursary and early intervention grant categories to provide financial assistance for persons with disabilities to pursue art. It recognises the artistic achievements of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and aims to make art education more accessible, especially for those facing financial constraints. The awards are supported by a S$1,000,000 commitment over five years from Kiat Lim, a new patron of Shaping Hearts. The funds ensure that PWDs can access opportunities to facilitate their artistic pursuits, empowering them to explore their creativity and develop essential skills for personal growth and development.

Table: Grant Types Under The Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts Awards

Grant Type

Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts
Shining Award

Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts
Encouraging Award

Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts
Budding Award

Description

For beneficiaries (7 years old and above) who have attained a good level of art proficiency and will like to further develop their skills professionally, including but not limited to:

  • Learning a new art medium

  • Engaging a professional mentor/tutor to improve their current skills

For beneficiaries (7 years old and above) who use art as a foundation in their daily living to express themselves and for personal development, including but not limited to:

  • Using art as a means of communication

  • Developing fine and gross motor skills

  • Developing social skills

For beneficiaries (below 7 years old) who use art for early intervention to develop important daily living skills including but not limited to:

  • Developing fine and gross motor skills

  • Developing social skills

Each successful applicant is only allowed to apply for the Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts Shining Award once in their lifetime.

Successful applicants for North East Hearts Awards and Kiat Lim-Shaping Hearts Encouraging and Budding Awards are eligible to apply for the Encouragement / Budding Award once every 24 months.

Eligibility
Criteria

N.A

Gross Per Capita Income of $1,500 and below

  1. Applicant must be a participant of Shaping Hearts OR residing in the North East district.

  2. Applicant should be a Singapore Citizen OR Permanent Resident (must have at least 1 Singapore Citizen family member in the household) AND certified to have a permanent disability*. This includes any one of the following:

  • Physical Disability

  • Visual Impairment

  • Deafness

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Intellectual Disability

*Any other conditions not listed will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Award
Quantum

$5,000

$2,000

$1,000

Recipients

Up to 10 pax per year

Up to 50 pax per year

Up to 50 pax per year

Neo Kah Kiat Arts Awards

The Neo Kah Kiat Arts Awards recognise artistic excellence among artists with disabilities. This award celebrates diverse talents across various art disciplines, showcasing exceptional work by persons with disabilities and promotes inclusivity. By honouring these achievements, we aim to elevate the visibility of artists with disabilities and their valuable contributions to the arts community.

Table: Neo Kah Kiat Arts Award Categories and Prize Amounts

Neo Kah Kiat Arts Award

Prize  

NKK Painting of the Year

$          20,000

NKK Arts Award – Gold

$          10,000

NKK Arts Award – Silver

$          8,000

NKK Arts Award - Bronze

$          5,000

NKK Most Popular Painting of the Year

$          2,800

NKK New Artist of the Year

$          2,000

For more information, visit Shaping Hearts website.