Image: The Cycle of Grace by The TENG Ensemble and Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre

SINGAPORE, 8 May 2026 – Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) conferred this year’s Singapore Chinese Cultural Contribution Award (SCCCA) to two deserving recipients at the opening ceremony of Cultural Extravaganza (CE) last night (7 May), the Centre’s signature annual cultural festival celebrating the best of local Chinese arts and culture. 

Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry, Ms Low Yen Ling, was Guest-of-Honour and presented this year’s SCCCA (Individual) to Dr Tan Chee Lay, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technology University, and SCCCA (Organisation) to Paper Monkey Theatre. 

Dr Tan was recognised for his contributions to Chinese language and literature through scholarship, education, and cultural advocacy in Singapore and beyond, while Paper Monkey Theatre was recognised for its innovative bilingual puppetry productions, and its sustained commitment to the safeguarding, transmission, and promotion of traditional puppetry.

From left: SCCC Chairman Mr Ng Siew Quan, SCCCA (Organisation) 2026 recipient Paper Monkey Theatre General Manager Mr Ong Seow Chiang Vincent and Artistic Director Mr Ho Kah Wai Benjamin, SCCCA (Individual) 2026 recipient Dr Tan Chee Lay and Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry Ms Low Yen Ling

With the conferment of the SCCCA 2026, nominations for SCCCA 2027 are now open, and members of the public can nominate deserving individuals and/or organisations for the award from now till 30 September 2026, 5pm. The award criteria for the individual and organisation categories can be found on the SCCCA website here.

Image: Moonlit Lovers of the Durian Grove featuring 96.3 HAO FM and UFM 100.3 DJs

330 representatives from the local Chinese arts and cultural community and guests present were also treated to excerpts from upcoming CE 2026 performances comprising The Cycle of Grace, a music and dance extravaganza by The TENG Ensemble and Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre; Moonlit Lovers of the Durian Grove featuring 96.3 HAO FM and UFM 100.3 DJs; and Master White Dragon, a theatrical comedy by TOY Factory.

Image: Master White Dragon by TOY Factory

At this year’s CE, audiences can enjoy exclusive premieres of local Mandarin productions that reinterpret Chinese culture through a distinctly Singaporean lens, alongside dynamic cross-disciplinary collaborations between local artists and arts groups.

The speeches and photographs of the CE 2026 opening ceremony and the SCCCA 2026 prize presentation ceremony can be found in the media kit here.