SINGAPORE – For the previous 5 years, literary motion #BuySingLit has striven to get Singaporeans to help native literature by, properly, shopping for it.
Shifting ahead, nonetheless, this can now not be the case. The industry-led motion, which was began in 2017, will probably be rebranded as SingLit: Learn Our World.
Ms Chong Lingying of home-grown writer Asiapac Books mentioned forward of a media preview on Thursday (Dec 9) that the motion is trying to develop previous concerning Singapore literature as particular person books.
Somewhat, it’s a entire ecosystem of curators, authors and readers, mentioned Ms Chong, 31, who’s a part of the motion’s advertising module.
She added that also they are open to different types of literature, for instance, visible kinds which function textual content and audio.
As a substitute of operating a two-weekend literary competition in March yearly, because it did beforehand, the motion is now a year-round effort striving to carry Singapore literature to audiences regularly.
This transition took place after Covid-19 put a halt to in-person actions, which left the motion in “survival mode”, mentioned Ms Chong. Its final bodily occasion was on the Pasir Panjang Energy Station in March final 12 months, earlier than the circuit breaker interval.
Singapore E book Council government director William Phuan, 49, who can be on the motion’s steering committee, mentioned: “With this year-round shift, the SingLit motion goals to make studying, supporting and shopping for native books an on a regular basis incidence.”
Nonetheless, key occasions such because the Singapore Literary E book Bazaar, which has been held at The Arts Home yearly since March 2017, will proceed. Its fifth version is slated for March subsequent 12 months.
Different programmes and occasions will probably be unfold out throughout the 12 months.
Highlights embrace My Sing Lit, which goals to maneuver away from the widespread false impression that Singapore literature is written solely in English, and promote mother-tongue works.
Its Malay programmes will happen from March 11 to 13 subsequent 12 months, whereas the Tamil programmes will probably be on April 16.
Sing Lit Blk Get together, a one-day hybrid competition in February subsequent 12 months, will probably be a celebration of Singapore literature with panel discussions, digital performances, multidisciplinary explorations and industrial tie-ups.
The motion can be seeking to faucet the potential of social media and has began each Telegram and YouTube channels. These platforms, alongside its current Fb and Instagram pages, will function year-round content material to teach and inform audiences about Singapore literature.
Poet Charlene Shepherdson, 37, who works at literary non-profit Sing Lit Station, mentioned: “The initiative brings collectively individuals from all corners of the Sing Lit ecosystem – the writers, publishers, translators, illustrators, editors, readers and extra – constructing a sustainable group that can hold Singapore literature going by means of these unsure instances.”
#BuySingLit, like a lot of the native literary group, was caught within the fallout from an expose in September this 12 months about Mr Kenny Leck, co-founder of impartial bookstore BooksActually.
Mr Leck, who beforehand helmed #BuySingLit as co-chair, got here beneath hearth for his alleged previous relationships together with his younger feminine staff.
The SingLit: Learn Our World committee mentioned the motion is just not immediately concerned with BooksActually at current, although it stays open to working along with the bookstore sooner or later, after it has rectified any inside points and is ready to foster a secure atmosphere for its staff.
