SINGAPORE - Designs inspired by local culture stand to win cash prizes of up to $5,000 at an inaugural competition for lifestyle products and graphic design.

Called the Singapore Creative Awards, the contest is jointly organised by the Singapore Press Holdings' (SPH) Chinese Media Group and the Singapore branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Launched on Thursday (Feb 8), it is open to the public and is a lead up to the 200th anniversary of Sir Stamford Raffles' landing next year.

There are two categories - lifestyle product and graphic design - with eight winners in each. The top three will take home $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000, while five merit winners will get $500 each. The school with the most number of entries will receive $500.

Entries need to be submitted between Mar 8 and Apr 15. More details can be found on the award's website at project.zaobao.com/creativeawards/2018.

The winners will be picked by seven judges, led by Lianhe Zaobao's veteran design writer Lim Fong Wei.

Their works will be showcased at the 33rd Singapore Book Fair from 25 May to 31 May at two locations at the same time: Capitol Piazza and CHIJMES.

The judging panel includes Design Singapore Council deputy executive director Emily Ong, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts senior lecturer Winnie Tan, and The Press Room founder and creative director Kelley Cheng.

"With a strong belief that the arts and technology are strong unifiers which can bring people together, we launch this competition to spur innovations and designs which are infuseod with Singapore culture," said Ms Loh Woon Yen, managing editor of SPH's Chinese Media Group.