The Cultural Medallion award was instituted in 1979 as an initiative of the late President of Singapore Ong Teng Cheong who was then the acting Minister for Culture. The purpose of the award is to acknowledge the "exceptional artistic talent and achievement" of artists in Singapore. The Cultural Medallion is now the highest arts award in Singapore.

The list of winners through the years is as follows:

1979

Bani Bin Buang (1929 - 1997)            -     Theatre

Choo Huey (1934 - )                         -      Music

David Lim Kim San (1933 - )             -       Music

Edwin Nadason Thumboo (1933 - )    -       Literature

Madhavi Krishnan (1941 - )               -       Dance

Wee Beng Chong (1938 - )               -       Visual Art

1981

Ahmad Bin Ja'afar (1919 - )              -        Music

Goh Soo Khim (1944 - )                   -        Dance

Joanna Wong Quee Heng (1939 - )   -        Theatre (Chinese Opera)

Lee Hock Moh (1947 - )                   -        Visual Art

Ng Eng Teng (1934 - 2001)              -        Visual Art

Wong Meng Voon (1937 - )              -        Literature

1982

David Tay Poey Cher (1945 - )          -        Photography

Georgette Chen Liying (1907 - 1993) -        Visual Art

Goh Poh Seng (1936 - )                   -        Literature

Leong Yoon Pin (1931 - )                 -        Music

Lin Chen (1919 - )                           -        Theatre

1983

Ang Chwee Chai (1910 - 1995)         -        Photography

Arthur Yap (1943 - )                        -        Literature

Christopher Henry Rothwell Allen (1933 - ) - Theatre

Vivien Goh (1948 - )                        -        Music

1984

Kam Kee Yong (1939 - )                 -        Music

Thomas Yeo (1936 - )                     -        Visual Art

S Varathan (1934 - )                       -        Theatre    

Yip Cheong Fun (1903 - 1989)         -        Photography

1985

Lee Tzu Pheng (1946 - )                 -        Literature

Low Ing Sing (1925 - 2000)             -        Theatre

Tan Lip Seng (1943 - )                    -        Photography 

Tay Chee Toh (1941 - )                   -        Visual Art

1986

Almahdi Al-Haj Ibrahim (Nadiputra) (1946 - ) - Theatre

Goh Choo San (1948 - 1987)           -        Dance

N Palanivelu (1908 - 2000)              -         Theatre

Pan Shou (1911 - 1999)                  -        Visual Art

Paul Abisheganaden (1914 - )         -         Music

Teo Eng Seng (1938 - )                  -         Visual Art

Wong Yoon Wah (1941 - )              -         Literature

1987

Haji Muhammed Ariff Bin Ahmad (1924 - ) - Literature

Lee Lim (1930 - 1989)                    -         Photography

Max Le Blond (1950 - )                  -          Theatre

Som Said (1951 - )                        -          Dance

Tan Swie Hian (1943 - )                 -           Visual Art

Teng Mah Seng (1915 - 1992)        -           Music

1988

Alex Abisheganeden (1926 - )        -           Music

Chua Soo Bin (1932 - )                  -           Photography

Iskandar Jalil (1940 - )                   -           Visual Art

Lim Fei Shen (1945 - )                  -            Dance

N Abdul Rahman (Singai Mukilan) (1922 - 1992) - Literature

Tay Bin Wee (1926 - 2000)           -            Theatre

1989

Foo Tee Jun (1935 - )                   -            Photography

Goh Beng Kwan (1937 - )             -            Visual Art

KUO Pao Kun (1939 - 2002)          -            Theatre

Neila Sathyalingam (1938 - )        -             Dance

1990

Anthony Poon (1945 - )               -              Visual Art

Han Lao Da (1947 - )                  -              Theatre

Chew Kok Chang (1934 - )          -              Literature

Lim Yau (1952 - )                       -              Music

Ong Kim Seng (1945 - )              -              Visual Art

Santha Bhaskar (1939 - )            -              Dance

Wu Peng Seng (1913 - )             -              Photography

1992

Choo Hwee Lim (1931 - )            -              Music

Phan Wait Hong (1913 - )           -              Theatre/Chinese Opera

Wang Sui Pick (1904 - 1998)      -              Visual Art

Ying E Ding (1947 - )                 -               Dance

1993

Tay Teow Kiat (1947 - )              -               Music

1995

Goh Lay Kuan (1939 - )              -               Dance

HAN Sai Por (1943 - )                 -               Visual Art

1996

Lew Poo Chan (Dan Ying) (1943 - ) -           Literature

Phoon Yew Tien (1952 - )           -               Music

1997

Ho Minfong (1951 - )                  -               Literature

Lou Mee Wah (1951 - )              -               Theatre/Chinese Opera

1998

Rama Kannabiran (1943 - )        -               Literature

1999

Abdul Ghani Bin Abdul Hamid (1933 - ) -     Literature

Chua Ek Kay (1947 - )              -                Visual Art

2000

Tan Siah Kwee (1948 - )           -                Visual Art

2001

Tan Kian Por (1949 - )              -                Visual Art

Yan Hui Chang (1954 - )           -                Music

2002

Jeremy Monteirio (1959 - )        -                Music

Credits:  Narratives: Notes On A Cultural Journey

              Published by National Arts Council 2002 ISBN 981-04-6737-0