The North East Community Development Council (NE CDC) and Lim Family Foundation (LFF) celebrated the achievements of 51 artists with disabilities at the Kiat Lim–Shaping Hearts Awards (KLSHA) 2026, awarding a total of S$126,000 in grants across the Shining, Encouraging and Budding Award categories.
Now in its second edition, the awards recognise artists at different stages of their creative journeys, from young children discovering art through early intervention to accomplished artists refining their craft. Beyond celebrating artistic excellence, the initiative aims to help artists with disabilities build confidence, develop their skills and gain greater visibility through the arts.
The award ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Mayor of North East District Baey Yam Keng, Kiat Lim, Patron of Shaping Hearts, and recording artist Jessica Jung. Artists, community leaders, supporters and partners gathered to celebrate creativity, inclusion and the achievements of this year’s recipients.
Among the award winners is Leong Sijun, an artist with Down syndrome whose painting, Waddle and Play, portrays a duck leading her ducklings through a colourful Peranakan inspired courtyard. The artwork reflects his childhood memories of family outings, neighbourhood life and growing up surrounded by loved ones.
Another recipient of the Shining Award is Miyana Cara Lim, who lives with dyslexia and ADHD. Her artwork, Playing in Nature, earned recognition after she was inspired to participate in the awards following a visit to the Shaping Hearts exhibition at Our Tampines Hub last year. She is one of this year’s 10 Shining Award recipients.
A highlight of the ceremony was Many People, One Heart, a collaborative artwork conceived by Leong Sijun. Inspired by the themes of inclusion and play, guests coloured individual background tiles during registration before Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Mayor Baey Yam Keng, Kiat Lim and Jessica Jung completed the artwork’s centrepiece on stage, symbolising the collective support for artists with disabilities.
The completed artwork will be showcased at future Shaping Hearts roving exhibitions across Singapore and made available for purchase. All proceeds from the sale will go directly towards supporting artists with disabilities.
This year’s awards also introduce a new collaboration under the Brightening Lives initiative, which is expected to showcase artworks by the 10 Shining Award recipients through a public display in Marina Bay in December 2026. The initiative uses large scale projection mapping and public storytelling to bring meaningful community stories to wider audiences. Additional details about the collaboration will be announced at a later date.
The 2026 awards recognised 51 artists across three categories. Ten Shining Awards of S$5,000 each were presented to artists who have demonstrated a high level of artistic proficiency and are looking to further their professional practice. Thirty-five Encouraging Awards of S$2,000 each were given to artists who use art as a means of communication, self-expression and personal development. Six Budding Awards of S$1,000 each were presented to children below the age of seven, supporting art based early intervention that helps develop important life and social skills.
The Kiat Lim–Shaping Hearts Awards are part of Shaping Hearts, NE CDC’s flagship inclusive arts movement, which seeks to create greater awareness, appreciation and opportunities for artists with disabilities through the power of art.
