What’s on at the Singapore Writers Festival 2026?

The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) returns from 13 to 22 November, celebrating the art of storytelling and stories. Organised by the Arts House Group, it will featured over 100 programmes and 300 writers and speakers. If you’re wondering where to start, we’ve outlined some highlights of this exciting literary event below. (Note: Singaporeans can use their SG Culture Pass credits on select programmes.)

International headliners at Singapore Writers Festival 2026

This year’s programme comprises panel discussions, author keynotes, literary workshops and walks, masterclasses, craft workshops, film screenings, interactive games, and multilingual poetry and performance sessions. There are even programmes for the entire family, where young children can be immersed in storytelling from a young age.

Among the headliners are well-known names in literature from around the world and Southeast Asia. They include Amitav Ghosh, Josh Silver, Seo Mi-Ae, Shiori Ito, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Tan Twan Eng and Shuang Xuetao.

The theme for SWF 2026, Hidden in Plain Sight, prompts participants to think about current trends and events that impact our lives, whether individually or on a global scale. It asks: “How can the notion of truth be constructed, deconstructed, reinterpreted or concealed in literature and beyond?”

Crime and mystery takes a special spotlight for this year, with a focus on the genre of crime fiction in books (for example, Japanese writer Uketsu’s Strange Buildings) as well as TV series (from Murder, She Wrote to Only Murders in the Building), films (Knives Out) and games (Cluedo).

Experience storytelling in various forms

With so many programmes running over the Singapore Writers Festival’s 10 days, it’s easy to have FOMO! Here are some key sessions to help with your planning.

Performances & Literature Readings

# Saving Face: Community, Culture and the Unspoken, 13 November

Through reading excerpts of their works, three playwrights – Aswini Aswath, Othman M.Yusof, Ang Xiao Ting – invite SWF 2026 participants to explore themes not often discussed openly within our communities. This is followed by a panel discussion with the playwrights for reflection, dialogue and shared understanding. (Eligible for SG Culture Pass credits.)

Literary Walks

Explore spots in Singapore that have fuelled the creativity of playwrights and poets, and inspired craftsmen.

# The City I See: Walking with Migrant and Local Writers, 15 and 22 November

Get to know Singapore through the eyes of two migrant and two local authors. Join them on a literary walk around the Civic District as they share stories, poems and vignettes, including new work written for the 2026 Festival.

Meet the Author at Singapore Writers Festival 2026

# Vera Brosgol – Flipping Classic Fairy Tale Narratives, 14 November

Vera ditches damsel in distress for intelligent heroines with wild twists in their stories. Join her for a behind-the-scenes look at her magical, funny and wonderfully unexpected reimagined worlds.

# Faridah Abike-Iyimide – Writing Bold Stories That Bite, 14 November

Since her NAACP Award-winning debut of Ace of Spades, Faridah continues crafting mysteries around complex, layered characters who get to be villains, victims and everything in between, including The Heirs, her newest murder mystery involving a family of prodigies. Faridah will talk about locked-room mysteries, buried clues and what it means to write representation that’s the whole story.

# Jim Rion – Unlocking Uketsu’s Strange Worlds (live streamed session), 21 November

The CWA Dagger-shortlisted translator has been bringing Japanese mystery and horror literature to English readers, including Uketsu’s bestselling Strange series and Haruo Yuki’s chilling The Ark. Jim will share with participants the hidden layers of meaning, craft and cultural assumption he has uncovered through his deep engagement with literature across languages and traditions.

Lectures & Masterclass Talks

# Festival Keynote Talk: Stephen Witt – The Thinking Machine, 13 November

The award-winning journalist and author of How Music Got Free turns his eye on AI, in particular, Jensen Huang. Stephen’s new book, The Thinking Machine, chronicles the rise of Nvidia, from a near‑bankrupt video game graphics company to a trillion‑dollar superpower. Stephen will delve deeper into this story of obsession, risk and the singular vision of a man who saw the future before anyone else.

# Festival Keynote Talk: Amitav Ghosh – A Writer’s Reimagining of Our Planetary Future, 14 November

The award-winning author will unpack the same question that runs through his recent works, Wild Fictions and Ghost-Eye: what does it mean for the future of the planet when many of the world’s most powerful, best-informed people have seemingly given up on it – retreating rather than resisting?

# The Space Between Languages: Translating with Jeremy Tiang, 21 November

In this masterclass, the award-winning translator of Chinese-language to English books shares his experiences in literary translation. Come and hear his understanding of cultural and historical backgrounds across the Chinese-speaking world shapes the final literature texts for his target audiences. (Eligible for SG Culture Pass credits.)

# Festival Keynote Talk: Ruha Benjamin – Ctrl + Alt + Rethink, 22 November

In this lecture, renowned sociologist and MacArthur fellow, Ruha Benjamin, begs the questions: What if the future is not as “smart” as it seems? Participants are invited to not only question the systems in the digital world around us, but to also imagine futures that are more inclusive and radically different.

Families & Children at SWF 2026

It’s never too early to spark and develop your child’s love for storytelling and literature. The line up of family-friendly programmes build imagination, creativity and word prowess through drawing, writing, games, poetry and song.

# The Super in the Small: Creating Superpowers with Small, Ordinary Things, 15 November

What if the most powerful thing in the room was something small and ordinary? Children aged 8 to 12 are prompted to imagine what gadgets or superpowers that small, overlooked things such as a paper clip or a single button can become.

# Brick & Block Prints: Hidden Stories, 22 November

Colourful LEGO bricks hold more secrets than meets the eye! In this hands-on session for children aged 7 to 12, they will come up with their own three-panel story, which they will build into bold block prints using inked LEGO plates. Best of all, they get to bring their own creative work home. The admission ticket covers all materials. (Eligible for SG Culture Pass credits.)

When and where – SWF 2026

The Singapore Writers Festival 2026 programme runs over 10 days from 13 to 22 November. Check the SWF programme details to find out where each presentation will be hosted. Locations include The Arts House at the Old Parliament Building, Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall, Asian Civilisations Museum, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, and other venues across the island.

Get tickets to access storytelling and literature

To access over 100 programmes at this year’s Singapore Writers Festival, you’ll need to buy a Festival Pass for $30 or a Youth Pass (only available with a valid student ID) for $15.

However, some select individual programmes at SWF 2026 require a separate ticket. These are priced from $5 to $80 per programme.

To find out more about the Singapore Writers Festival 2026, including keynote speakers and where to get festival passes and tickets, visit singaporewritersfestival.com.

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