Homegrown Carnatic musician Sushma Soma has been named one of the recipients of this year's Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council (NAC).
The internationally recognised Carnatic (South Indian classical) vocalist has under her belt an impressive repertoire of performances at several prestigious venues – such as the Indian Embassy Brussels, The Bhavan London, and The Madras Music Academy in Chennai.
Sushma is also actively engaged in the arts in the capacity as a researcher, educator and writer, amongst others.
In an announcement on Thursday, December 10, NAC said it has conferred two Cultural Medallions and four Young Artist Awards across various art disciplines. The awards recognise exemplary Singaporean artists for their distinctive bodies of work and contributions to Singapore’s arts and cultural landscape.
First instituted in 1992, the Young Artist Award recognises the artistic excellence and potential of young local artists aged 35 and below. With four recipients joining the ranks this year, a total of 163 artists have received the award as of 2020, all of which have showcased their talents through mastery in their own diverse practices.
The other three award winners are multi-disciplinary artist Irfan Kasban; film director, writer and editor Nicole Midori Woodford; and visual artist Yanyun Chen.
"Amidst this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic, arts can uplift our spirits and build community bonds in Singapore," said President Halimah Yacob.
"Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award. They have exemplified Singapore’s commitment to promoting cultural diversity, and providing a platform for creative expression."
Check out our Spotlight interview with Sushma earlier this year.