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As a journalist, Desmond most enjoyed covering entertainment and

lifestyle stories. Pictured here are some snapshots of his celebrity features.

 

These days, his writing seems more comfortable in poetry and fiction.

It’s the literary arts that consumes his time nowadays.

INTERVIEWS & READINGS

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A Given Grace Anthology Reading

Series: Part Twelve

By Squircle Line Press

Poetry Festival Singapore

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Walking Through Death’s Door

By Sebastian James

Death and Donuts

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Read! Fest '23: Writing Off Grief—

Featuring Prionka Ray, Mahita Vas

& Desmond Kon

Hosted By National Library Board

National Reading Movement

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Singapore Literature Prize 2022

Awards Ceremony

[Kon’s contribution between 1:41:00–1:49:36]

By Singapore Book Council

Singapore Literature Prize

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Off The Cuff: Featuring Desmond Kon, Jennifer Anne Champion & Robert Yeo

Hosted By Ow Yeong Wai Kit

Singapore Writers Festival

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The Library Report: Are Celebrity Memoirs Written Just For Publicity?

Featuring Maliah Zubir & Desmond Kon

Hosted By Shabir Sulthan

National Library Board

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Write and Burn Spoken Word Competition—Judges’ Reading  

Hosted By Woodlands Regional Library

Poetry Festival Singapore

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Poetry of Healing Workshop: 

Developing Authenticity

Hosted By Bishan Public Library

Write and Burn

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The Poet Survivor: Being True to One’s Identity & Art in a Woke Age—

Featuring Aaron Lee, Crispin Rodrigues & Jollin Tan

Hosted By Desmond Kon

Poetry Festival Singapore

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The Intersection of Faith & Creativity

By Nicole Ann Law

nourishthesoul

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Proust Questionnaire: 17 Questions

By Yeow Kai Chai

Quarterly Literary Review Singapore​

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Sing Lit Poet Desmond Kon Tells Us About His Near-Death Experience

By Dewi Nurjuwit

Time Out Singapore​

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Artflakes: Singaporean Literary Hub—

An Interview with Desmond Kon

By Mutiu Olawuyi

CBA (Codka Bariga Afrika) TV English

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World Anthropocene Manifesto: 

Featuring Speakers From 80 Territories

[Kon’s contribution starts at Session 2,

at approx. 1:20:55]

Hosted by Jérémy Cheval & Anne Laure Garcin

À l'Ecole de l'Anthropocène

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Conversations—Everyone Has a Story to Tell: Featuring Kan Shuyi, Aravinth Kuramasamy, Desmond Kon, Kamini Ramachandran & Malik Mazlan

Hosted By Rishi Budhrani

Asian Civilisations Museum

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Spoke & Bird #37: Alfian Sa'at & Desmond Kon [double bill segment

starts at approx. 58:20]
Hosted By Stephanie Chan

Spoke & Bird Poetry Open Mic

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Head2Head Conversations:

The Pleasures of Poetry Featuring Desmond Kon & Yong Shu Hoong
Hosted By Crispin Rodrigues

Public Libraries Singapore

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On Being Blue: In conversation with

the editors of Atelier of Healing

By Theophilus Kwek

Asian Books Blog

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An Interview with Poet and Post-Structuralist Thinker: Desmond Kon

By Jason Eng Hun Lee & Tammy Ho Lai Ming

Hong Kong Review of Books

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938 Now Arts & Culture Feature:

Interviewing Desmond Kon

Hosted By Vanessa Fernandez

938 Now 

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Entry Points of Happy Chance

with Desmond Kon

By Azizah Siddique

Public Libraries Singapore 

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Polymath Desmond Kon Talks About

His Near-death Experience, Religion, 

Philosophy and Writing in The Good

Day I Died

By Elaine Chiew

Asian Books Blog

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Live Reading With Desmond Kon

By Dewi Nurjuwit

Time Out Singapore​

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The Changing State of Singapore Poetry: 

Featuring Koh Tai Ann, Desmond Kon

Zhicheng-Mingdé & Yeow Kai Chai

Hosted By Margaret Devadason

Poetry Festival Singapore​

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Love Radio on Night Spin 182.7:

Trio of Poems by Desmond Kon

[segment starts at approx. 5:20]

Produced By Deborah Emmanuel 

Singapore Writers Festival

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Hold the Line by Pierre Vinclair:

Ethos Books Launch Video

[Kon’s contribution starts at approx. 3:05]

Produced By Jeremy Ho & Ng Kah Gay

Featuring Poets From France & Singapore

SWF Festival Bookstore

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Candid Conversations With Desmond Kon

By Shafiq Guee

HYPE

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Philosopher, Hermit, Journalist, Historian, Poet

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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The Tiger Moth Review: Poets Reading Video Series (Desmond Kon)

Invited By Esther Vincent

The Tiger Moth Review

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Having Fun With First-Person Narration With Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé

Invited By Sydney Liu

Commaful

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Desmond Kon Reads Forty-Two Poems

I Want to Write

Invited By Paul Munden, Alvin Pang

& Shane Strange

Recent Work Press

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12th Feature of #25otm: Desmond Kon

Hosted By Annabelle Fabia-de Arroz

#25otm 

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In Conversation With Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé 

By Goa Arts & Literature Festival 

The International Centre Goa

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Featured Author Interview

By Lark Vernon Timmons

Pirene’s Fountain

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On Meeting Gertrude Stein with

Local Wordsmith Desmond Kon

By Cally Cheung

Popspoken

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In Love with Words

By Ashley Choo

The Urbanwire

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Goal: An Interview with Poetry World Cup Winner Desmond Kon

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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Of Theology, Forms, and Absence 

By Divya Victor

Jacket2

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Writers Spotlight

Invited By Lisa Lip

The Arts House Feb/Mar 2019

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The Anti-Art Author

By Althea Duncombe​

Singapore Book Council Blog

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Of Pots and Poets

By Shermaine Yeo

The Urbanwire

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Poet of the Month

By Jacob Silkstone

The Missing Slate

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Wrestling with Words

By Elizabeth Goh

The Urbanwire

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The Metaview: Desmond Kon

Invited By Julie Innis & Frank Hinton

Metazen

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Ask the Author

By Roxane Gay

PANK

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Featured Author Interview

By Pamela Ho

The A List

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Works by Desmond Kon

By Shermaine Yeo

The Urbanwire

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Catching Up With Kon

By University of Notre Dame

Book People

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Episode 22: Poems by Karen Greenbaum-Maya & Desmond Kon [Podcast]

By Jae Newman & Amy Watkins

Red Lion Square

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Three Poems Plus Q&A

By Press 53

Prime Number Magazine

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Author Showcase:

Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé

By Jessica Otto

Trapeze Magazine

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CRITICISM & REVIEWS

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Critical Introduction

By Samuel Caleb Wee

Poetry.sg

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Review: The Gift of Returns:

Reckoning With Desmond Kon’s

The Good Day I Died ​

By Ho Kin Yunn

Cha: An Asian Literary Journal

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Digital Communities At Work:

Singapore Poetry Writing Month

By Joshua Ip, Ann Ang & Cheryl Julia Lee

TEXT Journal Special Issue 64

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Review: The Good Day I Died – By Desmond Kon

By Mitali Chakravarty

Modern Literature

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Review: The Arbitrary Sign​

By Mandy Pannett

Rain Taxi Review

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Singapore Shelf: Free E-Books That Reimagine Past And Future Singapores

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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The Talented Local Poets

You Need On Your Bookshelves

By Dewi Nurjuwit

Time Out Singapore​

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Dissecting Love & Language

By Stephanie Studzinski

Cha: An Asian Literary Journal

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Review: I Didn’t Know Mani Was

A Conceptualist

By Mandy Pannett

Kitaab

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Sound, Sense, and Story: Narrativity

and Poeticity in the Contemporary

Lyric Poem

By Samuel Wee Ting Han

DR-NTU Institutional Repository

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Literary Commentary:

“First Language, Second Tongue: 

Singapore Literature in English”

Edited by Koh Tai Ann

Singapore Chronicles: Literature

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Literary Commentary:

“Burning In Your Hands:

Singapore’s Queer Literary Tradition

By Ng Yi-Sheng

Singapore Literature & Culture: Current Directions in Local & Global Contexts

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Literary Commentary:

“dame de compagnie :: lady of company”

By Paul Hetherington & Cassandra Atherton

Prose Poetry: An Introduction

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Review: Singular Acts of Endearment

By Mandy Pannett

Kitaab

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World Poetry Day: Verse vs. Virus

By Elaine Chiew

ArtsEquator

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The Zoom Boom

By Irie Aman

SingPoWriMo 2020 Issue 4

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Creating Artifice: Between Page

and Objet d’Art

By Desmond Kon

WTC British Council Singapore

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Where Have All The Critics Gone?

By Joshua Ip

SingPoWriMo 2019 Issue 2

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Mining the Limits of Literary

Experience

By Lark Vernon Timmons

Pirene’s Fountain

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Track Changes Feature:

Gertrude Stein’s Apraxia/Aphasia

By Desmond Kon

Poetry.sg

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Raffles Reads: The Good Day I Died

By Tan Yu You

Word of Mouth

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Review: Sanctuary Short Fiction

By Breadley Winterton

Taipei Times

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Review: Babel Via Negativa

By Mandy Pannett

Kitaab

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Top Writing Tips

By Desmond Kon

WTC British Council Singapore

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Singapore Shelf: 10 Reads for February

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Blurb: Mok Zining’s The Orchid Folios

By Desmond Kon

Ethos Books

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Blurb: Love and Life at the Gallery (Edited by Ow Yeong Wai Kit & Genevieve Wong) 

By Desmond Kon

Poetry Festival Singapore

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Blurb: Elaine Chiew’s The Heartsick Diaspora, and Other Stories 

By Desmond Kon

The Ethical Shop

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Blurb: S. Mickey Lin’s Uncanny Valley By Desmond Kon

Marshall Cavendish

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Review: I Didn’t Know Mani Was

A Conceptualist

By Eileen Tabios

Galatea Resurrects

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Review: Sanctus Sanctus Dirgha

Sanctus

By Mandy Pannett

Kitaab

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Summer Reads: Desmond Kon

Zhicheng-Mingdé’s Top Three

By Mia Ayumi Malhotra

Lantern Review

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Singapore Shelf: Anima Methodi

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Singapore Shelf: Ars Moriendi

By Akshita Nanda

The Straits Times Life!

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Review: Union Anthology

By Linda Ashok

The Rumpus

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Editors Corner: Books Were

Looking Forward To

By Iris A. Law

Lantern Review

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My Book of the Year 2020:

Two Recommended Titles

By Desmond Kon

Singapore Unbound

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My Book of the Year 2019:

Recommended Title

By Desmond Kon

Singapore Unbound

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My Book of the Year 2018:

Three Recommended Titles

By Desmond Kon

Singapore Unbound

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My Book of the Year 2017:

Four Recommended Titles

By Desmond Kon

Singapore Unbound

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My Book of the Year 2016:

Four Recommended Titles

By Desmond Kon

Singapore Unbound

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Review: I Didnt Know Mani

Was A Conceptualist

By Robin Choo

npTribune

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Summer Reads: Issue 1 Contributor Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé

By Mia Ayumi Malhotra

Lantern Review

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00:00 / 03:43
Trio of Poems on Love Radio
00:00 / 19:26

PRESS

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Singapore-Philippines Catholic Editors Break World Record Twice with 2023 Living Now Book Awards Gold Win

By Signis Admin

World Catholic Association for Communication

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The Big Read: Are Public Libraries Dying? Not in Singapore—Far From It

By Renald Loh

Channel NewsAsia

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Catholic Editors Break World Record Twice with 2023 Living Now Book Awards Gold Win

By International News

Today's Catholic

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Love Enabled: Docuseries Episode 5 
Featuring Stephanie Esther Fam,

Poet with Cerebral Palsy

[Kon’s contribution between 9:11–13:27]

By OGS Official

Our Grandfather Story

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Richest Singapore Book Prize Worth $30,000 Launched by SUSS

By Clement Yong

The Straits Times Life!

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Singapore-Philippines Editors Break World Record Twice with Living Now Book Awards Win

By Press Office

Catholic Sabah

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Singapore Catholic Editors Win US Literary Award

By UCA News Reporter

The Union of Catholic Asian News 

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Filipino, Singaporean Authors Receive

Top Prize at Illumination Christian

Book Awards

By LiCAS•news

Light of Catholics in Asia

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Filipino, Singaporean Authors Receive

Top Prize at Illumination Christian

Book Awards

By SIGNIS Asia

World Catholic Association for Communication

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Singapore Catholic Editors Win US Literary Award

By UCA News

Herald Malaysia

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Singapore Catholic Editors Win US Literary Award

By UCA News

Catholic Sabah

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A Friendship Borne Out Of Prose

And Poetry

By Edmund Lim & Gerry Faigal

Opus Dei News

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Why Are S'poreans Waking Up Exhausted Even After 7 Hours Of Sleep?

By Akshita Nanda

The Straits Times Life!

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How The Singapore Literary

Ecosystem Tackles Mental Health

By Sarah Tang

ArtsEquator

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Singapore Writers Get Comfortable

With Death

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Art Picks: Free E-Books From Ethos, Objectifs’ Digital Library, And More

By Ong Sor Fern

The Straits Times Life!

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Ethos Books Is Offering Six

Of Its Titles Online For Free

By Dewi Nurjuwit

Time Out Singapore​

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Writing Workshops, Singlit Comics

Event Go Online

By Aditi Bharade

The Straits Times Life!

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Must We Define Singapore’s Literary Voice For It To Be Recognised?

By Beatrice Bowers

Lifestyle Asia

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Spoke & Bird Poetry Open Mic:

Alfian Sa'at And Desmond Kon

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life! Happenings

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HYPE Goes Digital!

By Shafiq Guee, Ruth Chan & Tan Yan Hui

HYPE

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Arts Picks: Dragonflies

By Ong Sor Fern

The Straits Times Life!

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5 Things To Check Out From Home:

An Arty Game Night, Modelling Lessons With Layla Ong & More

By Keng Yang Shuen

Female Singapore

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Things To Do This Week:

Workshops And Livestreams To Help

You Stay Connected And Sane

By Sophie Hong

Buro Singapore

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The Arts House Introduces Home-Based Writing Workshops For Circuit Breaker

By Bakchormeeboy

Bakchormeeboy Arts & Culture Review

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From a Light Maze on The Padang to Promenade Theatre by Disabled Performers: 7 Highlights of the Light To Night Festival 2020

By Ong Sor Fern

The Straits Times Life!

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7 Breathtaking Programmes You Cant Miss at Light to Night Festival 2020

By Time Out Singapore in partnership

with National Gallery Singapore

Time Out Singapore

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S’pore’s Light To Night Festival 2020 Returns 10 Jan With Interactive Art Installations Inspired By Local Poets

By Vera Leng

Hype & Stuff

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Light to Night 2020 at Asian

Civilisations Museum

By Singapore Art Week

The A List

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Escape Into Art

By Ong Sor Fern

The Straits Times Life!

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Light to Night Festival 2020–Bring

Your Imagination to the Invisible Cities

By Rachel Neoh

Hype & Stuff

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Sonnets Commissioned by Light to

Night Festival 2020: Invisible Cities

By National Gallery Singapore

nationalgallery.com

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Poetry Forms in Fashion​

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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10 Books to Look Out For in

Singapores Bicentennial Year

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Singapore: Top 12 Writers and Titles

to Watch

By Teri Tan

Publishers Weekly

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An Irish Literary Summer School

in Singapore

By Neil Murphy

The Irish Times

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Winners of the SLP: English Poetry

By Singapore Book Council

Singapore Literature Prize: 

Celebrating Our Writers 1992–2018

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Local Writers and Readers Mourn

Nobel Laureate V. S. Naipaul

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Desmond Kon Wins Gold at

2016 Living Now Book Awards

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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Best Singapore Poems Over Past

Two Years Collected in a Book

By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh

The Straits Times Life!

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Singapore’s First Migrant Festival ​

By Tristan Chan

South China Morning Post

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Singapore Author Wins American

Book Award

By Lee Jian Xuan

The Straits Times Life!

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Country Spotlight: Singapore

By Teri Tan

Publishers Weekly

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New Museum to Publish 2015

Triennial Poetry Book

By Dan Duray

ARTnews

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Graphic Novel Gets Nod

for Lit Prize

By Lee Jian Xuan

The Straits Times Life!

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Desmond Kon’s Twin Win at 2015

Living Now Book Awards

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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In Search of the Great Singapore Novel

By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh

The Straits Times Life!

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Singapore Literature Prize Hands Out

24 Awards to 22 Authors

By News Desk

TODAYonline

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Leonard Cohen: Singapore Writers

and Musicians Pay Tribute to Him

By Eddino Abdul Hadi

The Straits Times Life!

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Author Behind Hit Netflix Series

13 Reasons Why Will Be at

Singapore Writers Festival​

By Mayo Martin

Channel NewsAsia

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Sonny Liew’s ‘Charlie Chan’ Leads Singapore Literature Prizes

By Dennis Abrams

Publishing Perspectives

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Read Local

By News Desk

The Business Times

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The 19th Singapore Writers Festival Attracts Record Attendances

By Media Centre

National Arts Council

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Poetry Festival Singapore Features

First Poetic Drama

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Singapores Literary Scene

Enjoying Revival

By Lee Jian Xuan

The Straits Times Life!

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Mapping the Literary Roots Between ASEAN and India

By Mitali Chakravarty

Kitaab

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Singapore Literature Prize

By News Desk

Channel NewsAsia

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S’pore Writers Fest 2015: On

Translations, Paintings and Football

By Mayo Martin

TODAYonline

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Historic Poetry Win at National

Indie Excellence Book Awards

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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S’pore Art: Top Picks for 2014

By Mayo Martin

TODAYonline

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The Ekphrases of Eye/Feel/Write:

Writing About Architecture

By Sucharita Dutta-Asane

Kitaab

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American Writers Festival in

Singapore

By News Desk

TODAYonline

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Singaporeans in Ipoh Old Town

By Ista

Eksentrika

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Singapore: Poetry at the Planetarium

By Team Kitaab

Kitaab

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The Ten Best Poets From Singapore

By Tarandip Kaur

Culture Trip

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Record Number of Awards at 2016 Singapore Literature Prize Ceremony

By News Desk

Asia Today

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Kon Clinches Silver at 2015

Independent Publisher Book Awards

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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State of the Arts: July 12 to 19

By Mayo Martin

TODAYonline

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Ten Singaporean Poets You Must

Know About

By Karen George

Marie France Asia

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Kon’s Double Win at Beverly Hills International Book Awards

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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Singapore Writers Festival 2015:

A Party of Words, Pop, Drama

By Media Centre

National Arts Council

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Poetry 2.0

By Tan Teck Heng

The Business Times

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Spore Wins Poetry World Cup Against Pakistan

By Mayo Martin

TODAYonline

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Writers Fest Ends on a High

By Corrie Tan

AsiaOne

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Desmond Kon: Singular Acts of Endearment

By National Arts Council

Fiction Singapore 2015/16

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Poetry in Motion

By Loretta Perera

Singapore Magazine

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CausewayEXchange In Ipoh

By Ili Aqilah Yus Amirul

Ipoh Echo

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Kon’s Four-Region Sweep at the

2016 USA Regional Excellence

Book Awards

By Zafar Anjum

Kitaab

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Inaugural Writers-in-the-Gardens Residency Programme

By Media Centre

National Arts Council

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5 Fun Events to Attend at Singapore

Writers Festival—Even if You Hate

Reading

By SG-Promoted

SG Magazine

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Four Paths To Joy: Poetry Reading

& Discussion

By Olivia Ho

The Straits Times Life!

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Frightfully Good Writers Festival

By Victoria Barker

AsiaOne

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