Get ready for Singapore Writers Festival 2025: Noteworthy events to check out

Book lovers, this is our time! 📚 The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) is back and it’s shaping up to be an amazing one. Running from 7 to 16 November 2025, this year’s theme is "Shape of Things to Come".

It’s a fitting theme, as the festival is diving deep into new worlds with a special Sci-Fi Spotlight track, alongside a look back with the SG60 Homage.

The main events are happening in the heart of the Civic District, which is the perfect excuse to grab your fellow bookworms and make a day (or night) of it. With so much to see, it can be a little overwhelming, so I’ve put together a guide to the noteworthy events you won’t want to miss.

Must-see headline events

These are the big names that everyone will be talking about. If the last time you’ve cracked open a book was to read Romeo and Juliet for secondary school, these events are a great way to get caught up on who’s who in today’s literary scene. A quick note: these major keynotes are individually ticketed and sell out fast, so be sure to check the official website for details!

Festival Keynote: Ken Liu – The Future of Art in the Age of AI

If you haven’t read Ken Liu’s incredible short story, The Paper Menagerie, you’re doing yourself a disservice. In this talk, he’ll be exploring a topic that’s on everyone’s mind: AI and human creativity. It’s set to be a fascinating discussion on how technology is (or isn't) changing art, hosted by one of the best active sci-fi writers out there.

📍Venue: Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556
⏰ Time: 8th November 2025, 1pm – 2pm
🎟️Tickets: $25 (Individually ticketed)
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/lecture/festival-keynote-talk-ken-liu-the-future-of-art-in-the-age-of-ai 

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Festival Keynote: R.F. Kuang – Beyond the Ivory Tower

Yes, the R.F. Kuang’s going to be here! She’ll be discussing her newest novel, Katabasis, and its themes of academia’s role in an increasingly polarised world. This one’s already sold out (as expected of any event featuring the author of The Poppy War), but if you find your way here, there’s no doubt that you’ll be in for a treat.

📍Venue: Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556
⏰ Time: 8th November 2025, 5pm – 6pm
🎟️Tickets: $25 (Individually ticketed)
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/lecture/festival-keynote-talk-r-f-kuang-beyond-the-ivory-tower 

Dive into the Sci-Fi Spotlight

Since the festival’s theme is all about the future, its new Sci-Fi Spotlight track is packed with cool panels and workshops for anyone who loves things that go “beep boop”.

Myth, Machine and Memory

This opening night event features Ken Liu in conversation with Singaporean fantasy author Neon Yang, author of the critically-lauded Tensorate series. They'll be discussing sci-fi’s unique ability to comment on both our past, and future.

📍Venue: Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556
⏰ Time: 7th November 2025, 8:30pm – 9:30pm
🎟️Tickets: Festival Pass
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/panel-discussion/myth-machine-and-memory 

The Edible Future

This one’s a micro sci-fi writing workshop that explores... food! It’s an interactive session that doubles as a creative writing exercise about how food can inspire our ideas of what the future may entail. If you’ve ever wondered about whether we’ll be chowing down on bug-filled burgers in a few years (or maybe you just want the Moleskin journals they’ll be handing out to participants), this one’s for you.

📍Venue: Bricolage, 1 Old Parliament Lane, #01-03 The Arts House Annex Building, Singapore 179429
⏰ Time: 15th November 2025, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
🎟️Tickets: $30 (Individually ticketed)
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/workshop/the-edible-future 

For the young and curious: Youth Fringe

The Youth Fringe is curated specifically for young adults, with topics that are bold, relevant, and perfect for sparking a great conversation.

Gloriously Crashing Out: Rage as a Literary Aesthetic

This panel is perfect for anyone who loves narratives that don't shy away from big emotions, and isn’t afraid to ask a few big questions, themselves. It’s a discussion on the use of anger and despair in modern storytelling, and examines how anger is utilised and discussed in wider national narratives. 

📍Venue: Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556
⏰ Time: 9th November 2025, 3pm – 4pm
🎟️Tickets: Festival Pass
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/panel-discussion/gloriously-crashing-out-rage-as-a-literary-aesthetic 

Is This the End of the World?

From climate change to pandemics, apocalyptic themes feel more relevant than ever. This panel features writers who explore why we’re so drawn to stories about the end of the world and what they can tell us about our present.

📍Venue: The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, Former Parliament House and Annex Building, Singapore 179429
⏰ Time: 9th November 2025, 7pm – 8pm
🎟️Tickets: Festival Pass
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/panel-discussion/is-this-the-end-of-the-world 

The Shadow Of Things To Come

This isn't a talk — it's a spooky story walk! Join this after-dark literary tour to hear eerie tales rooted in Malay supernatural traditions and personal accounts bringing out the dark side of some of Singapore’s most famous landmarks. Bring a friend who you can hold hands with.

📍Venue: Entrance of The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, Former Parliament House and Annex Building, Singapore 179429
⏰ Time: 14th - 15th November 2025, 8pm – 9.15 pm
🎟️Tickets: $30 (Individually ticketed)
🔗Link: singaporewritersfestival.com/swf-2025/programmes/programme-details-2025/experiential-participatory/the-shadow-of-things-to-come

Check out these free exhibitions

Want to soak in the festival vibes without committing to a ticket? Or maybe you’ve already used up your SG Culture Pass credits. Either way, these exhibitions are free for everyone to enjoy.

Snippets of the Future

What will Singapore look like in 2065? This installation features micro-sci-fi stories (200 words or less!) written by students aged 7 to 21. It’s a fascinating, bite-sized look into the future, written by those inheriting it. If the snippets get you feeling inspired to do a little theorising of your own, you’re welcome to contribute your own short stories as well.

📍Venue: Level 2, The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, Former Parliament House and Annex Building, Singapore 179429

Marginalia: A Participatory Literary Installation

Sometimes, what’s important in a text isn’t what’s written out, but what lies between the lines. In Marginalia, members of the public (yes, you!) will be given the chance to write between the lines of six poems reminiscing on Singapore’s independence. The best responses will be featured in the exhibition itself, so be sure to bring your thinking caps.

📍Venue: Central Public Library, 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064

Frequently asked (FAQ)

What’s the difference between a Festival Pass and an individually ticketed event?‍

Think of the Festival Pass (or Youth Pass for students) as your main key. It unlocks over 100 panels, discussions, and workshops. Individually ticketed events are for the big headliners, like Ken Liu's keynote, which require a separate, specific ticket to guarantee your seat. You can find the full programme and get your passes (from the official Singapore Writers Festival website. SG Culture Pass credits are valid here too; even more reason to check this out!

Are there any free events at SWF 2025?‍

Absolutely! You can enjoy all the exhibitions, like Snippets of the Future and Behind the Pages at The Arts House, completely free without a pass. It's a great way to soak in the festival atmosphere.

Where are the main venues and is parking available?‍

Most events are clustered in the Civic District at The Arts House, Victoria Theatre, and the Asian Civilisations Museum. While there's public parking (e.g., at the National Gallery or Parliament House), lots can fill up quickly and be quite pricey, so be sure to read up on free parking spaces nearby.

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Hope to see you there!

Amanda 📕

(Featured photo: SG60)