By Amanda Lim (25A01B) and Sophie Chong (25A01A)
Though it may not have been in our nature as JC students to take a break from mugging just weeks before promos, on September 3, we hit pause—both on the academic hustle and on our YPT timers. Instead of being buried in lecture notes and past year papers, we opted for a temporary escape to the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) 2024 launch party at Goodman Arts Centre.
SWF, now in its 27th edition, has become a premier literary event in Asia since its launch in 1986. Celebrating Singapore’s multicultural heritage, it showcases works in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, making it one of the few multilingual literary festivals in the world. Over the years, SWF has championed local voices while bringing together an international community of writers, thinkers and artists. Its significance lies in its role as a vital platform for creativity and inclusivity within Singapore’s cultural landscape.
Exploring the SWF Launch
There, we fully immersed ourselves in this year’s festival theme of “In Our Nature”—literally. Instead of diving into every section on the Ivy portal, we found ourselves knee-deep in greenery, quite literally touching grass as we foraged for herbs. Next, armed with stencils, glue guns, and bits of fabric, we transformed our old tote bags into unique mementoes, giving them new life and embracing sustainability in a way that truly embodied the spirit of the festival.
Our experience In Our Nature.
Stepping into his role for the first time, the new Festival Director Yong Shu Hoong, took to the stage for his opening address, setting an optimistic tone for his first Singapore Writers Festival and offering a first look into the upcoming programmes lined up. In the Festival Director’s Message, he noted, “While our planet deserves a reset, SWF thankfully doesn’t require a complete reboot.” This sentiment highlighted his commitment to honouring the solid foundation laid by his predecessors—Paul Tan, Yeow Kai Chai, and Pooja Nansi—while also emphasising his desire to evolve the festival in new and exciting directions.
As the glow of the evening sun poetically bathed the SWF sign in golden light, the final tree-planting ceremony felt like the perfect closing act for the festival launch party. Just as the director noted, “There is a saying, ‘Never the twain shall meet,’ but in nature, separate vines can eventually intertwine.” This was precisely what we witnessed; a vibrant community of like-minded creatives—local writers, journalists, SWF organisers, and even us—coming together. This spirit of connection, much like the launch party itself, is just a sneak peek of what’s to come at the actual festival!
The act of planting the tree symbolised not just a commitment to the environment, but also the nurturing of Singapore’s literary scene, with roots deeply intertwined among various voices and perspectives. Just as the tree requires care and time to grow, SWF 2024 has required meticulous planning and collaboration to truly flourish. The promise of this year’s festival is that it will bear fruitful ideas and connections—and thankfully, we won’t have to wait long to see the results! The countdown to SWF is already on, with the festival running from November 8 to 17.
In this year’s edition of SWF, bearing the theme “In Our Nature”, SWF invites us to answer this question: What’s truly in our nature—as humans, as writers and readers, as global citizens? This theme nudges us to reflect not only on our relationship with the environment but also on the dualities of human nature—the light and the dark, the good and the not-so-great.
Upcoming Festival Events
In line with the theme, the event offers a wide range of programmes discussing various interpretations of the theme. For the environmentally conscious, panel discussions on the intersection between pop culture and the environment (‘From Sandworms to Sophons: Ecocriticism Takes on Pop Culture’) or workshops on plastic recycling (‘Plastics: What Happens Next?’) or book-making from waste products (‘Zero Waste: Making Books and Poems from Scrap’), provide exciting insights in both the arts and the environment. For a more hands-on experience, you may also participate in workshops to upcycle tote bags or T-shirts with special designs and fabrics.
Alternatively, those who prefer more abstract concepts may choose to explore the nature of the arts (‘The Use(ful/less)ness of Poetry’), human nature (‘Sisterhood and Female Friendship: Choosing Your Family’) or even the nature of our cultures (‘Grandpa Yeh’s Teochew Png Kueh Soiree’ or ‘Ikut Arus’).
By working to appeal to a diverse community, SWF has events for all audiences—from a family-friendly introduction to the author of a childhood favourite, Geronimo Stilton (‘Meet the Author: Paolo Giordano’) to panel discussions geared to students (‘Rubrics for Success: How Singapore’s Education System Shapes Our Future’) and even a literature analysis of some of Taylor Swift’s most iconic lyrics (‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me: A Swiftie’s Guide to Confessional Poetry’).
This year, the festival has a unique country focus on South Korea, inviting Korean authors and artists. As part of this, the festival has introduced a discussion on Webtoons (Korean online comics), inviting authors such as Choi Gyu Seok, the author of Hellbound, and Kwang Jin, the author of Itaewon Class—both webtoons that were adapted into TV series. The works of these authors will be displayed in exhibits throughout November in Funan and The Arts House.
Closing the festival is perhaps the most notable event: the yearly closing debate, each presenting an entertaining yet enlightening discussion on the topic of the year. This year’s motion is This House Believes That Life is Better in Plastic, a homage to both the 2023 Barbie movie and the theme of ‘In Our Nature’. However, debaters will not just argue about plastic; instead, the topic questions the very nature of authenticity and works to reconcile the real and the fake. The debate teams, which are aptly named the Plastics and the Authenticators, are made up of a range of artists and storytellers, each equipped to provide novel perspectives on the topic.
Even if the programmes spotlighted have yet to intrigue you, at least one of the over hundred discussions, workshops and activities offered is bound to have an appeal. The SWF website, found here, presents all the information you may need about the event.
“I think I have really good memories from SWF. It’s something I look forward to every end of the year!”
Kim Jisoo (25S03B)
As Jisoo, a regular at the yearly SWF festivals, shared, the event is not just an opportunity to discover the arts scene in Singapore but a platform to meet like-minded individuals.
For those interested, ticket sales have already begun—all-encompassing festival passes and individual programme tickets are offered for visitors. Under the early bird sale, which ends on 14 October, visitors are offered a 20% discount on their purchases, making the youth festival pass $12 and single tickets between $8 and $24.