See you at Poetry Festival Singapore 2026!
24 – 26 July 2026
LATEST EVENTS & NEWS
Write & Burn! 2026
Write & Burn! is a poetry performance competition organised by Poetry Festival Singapore (PFS), aimed at youth between the ages of 15 and 18 from all backgrounds and all schools, junior colleges, centralized institutions, and international schools in Singapore. Click the button below to find out more!
This year's edition of Write & Burn! is sponsored by EduPeer and the National Arts Council, in partnership with Outspoken.
National Poetry Recitation Competition 2025
The National Poetry Recitation Competition (NPRC) finals were held on 26-27 July 2025 at the National Library, and concluded with resounding success. Organised as part of Poetry Festival Singapore, the two-day event showcased the performances of exceptional talent—emerging from more than 300 contestants—from Primary, Secondary, and Open categories, with finalists delivering compelling performances to full houses.
This year's competition—currently in its second edition—attested to the enduring vitality of poetry recitation in Singapore. Finalists displayed remarkable poise and confidence during their performances, as well as sensitivity and understanding in their interpretations. The finalists not only demonstrated impressive memorisation skills but also insight and thoughtfulness in their responses during the Q&A segments, revealing deep engagement with their selected poems.
Results of the National Poetry Recitation Competition (NPRC) Finals 2025
Primary Category
Champion: Chan Shan Jun Leonard (St. Gabriel’s Primary School) — “Upsizing” by Daryl Lim
1st Runner-up: Claire Cai Rui En (Henry Park Primary School) — “conversaytion” by Joshua Ip
2nd Runner-up: Aishwarya Saravanan (Hougang Primary School) — “If” by Rudyard Kipling
Secondary Category
Champion: Mathew Tan (Maris Stella High School) — “conversaytion” by Joshua Ip
1st Runner-up: Joash Hsu Zi You (Maris Stella High School) — “On Turning Ten” by Billy Collins
2nd Runner-up: Sheza Mehreen (Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) — “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou
Open Category
Champion: Akshaya Saravanan (Victoria Junior College) — “Kids Who Die” by Langston Hughes
1st Runner-up: Jamie Michael Lam (St. Joseph’s Institution) — “What Teachers Make” by Taylor Mali
2nd Runner-up: Trinh Hieu Thy (NUS High School of Mathematics and Science) — “My Mother Thinks I Dream in Bengali” by Wahid Al Mamun
The competition was adjudicated by an esteemed panel of judges comprising A/P Angelia Poon, Dr Angus Whitehead, and Mr Crispin Rodrigues. We were honoured to have Prof Edwin Thumboo and Mr Robert Yeo grace the occasion as our Guests-of-Honour.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all award recipients and finalists, and sincere appreciation to all participants, supporters, and attendees who contributed to this celebration of poetry learnt by heart and performed out loud.
Credit: MCCY, Singapore
Poetry Festival Singapore 2025
Poetry Festival Singapore (PFS) commemorated Singapore's 60th anniversary of independence with the theme "Verse Nation". At PFS 2025, we aim to showcase the enduring power of poetry in Singapore’s national languages—that is, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil; highlight the incredible diversity of poetic voices and styles in Singapore and beyond; foster a deeper sense of community through shared poetic experiences; and explore the intricate links between literature, culture, and nationhood. Starting from forging ideas of nationhood to embracing elements of a global culture, Singapore poetry has responded to changing times and connected to the social conditions of Singapore and beyond. The festival embraces poetry in its various manifestations — whether written on the page, spoken out loud,or learnt by heart—here and all over the globe. In the process, PFS 2025 pays tribute to our nation’s history, multi-faceted identity, and creative spirit.