Calendar: Past Events

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Singapore Book Council, the Asian Festival of Children’s Content celebrates the life and work of the late children’s books illustration pioneer, Kwan Shan Mei 关山美 (1922-2012). The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre is delighted to host an exhibition to showcase a selection of her books and drawings provided by her family.

Kwan Shan Mei came to Singapore in 1963 to be the Chief Artist for Far Eastern Publishers and later on, she joined the Educational Publications Bureau. She made her name illustrating the 24 readers published under the Primary Pilot Project (1971—73) by Ministry of Education.

为配合国际翻译日，请大家踊跃参与《悲君统治》的新书发布及讨论会。《悲君统治》是陈妙华及温昌一起合作， 翻译由本地马来作家伊沙卡马里著作的长篇马来小说Duka Tuan Bertakhta。陈女士将分享她的翻译心得及经验。伊沙卡马里，作家林高，陈女士及温昌也会参与关于新书的一场讨论会。
 

What happens when you put Singaporean and Malaysian writers together in a room? What will they talk about? Where to find the best food, or the best bookstore? Or maybe they will compare notes on books from each country? Five writers from both sides of the causeway have come together to take part in this special literary exchange Same Same But Different. The view from across the causeway may seem similar but yet different. But perhaps the writers – through a celebration of new book launches, conversations and music performances– will discover that they have more things in common than not.
 

This session will be on Comics Book Publishing by Ms Lim Li Kok from Asiapac Book.
Do come to the Writers Lounge, Book Council premises on 1 Sep 2018 from 10 am to 12 pm.

Children Magazines and Stories in Singapore
Speakers: Edgar Liao, Li Zhiping

Kwan Shan Mei was a pioneer in illustrating children stories in books, magazines and textbooks in Singapore. However, she did not work in a vacuum. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the publications for children and youth were very varied - from the UK weeklies of Beano, Dandy and Look and Learn to the Chinese periodicals such as World Children and Children's Paradise and the youth magazines like The Young Malayans and Youth Monthly, these reading materials aimed to shape the hearts and minds of the young of a new nation. This panel will explore the rich reading culture of that period.

This session is presented in conjunction with the Kwan Shan Mei: Drawing From The Heart exhibition, as part of the 9th edition of the Asian Festival of Children's Content.

Memories of Kwan Shan Mei

Speakers: Lee Yeow Heng, Edwin Ng, Lim Geok Leng, Wendy Toh 
Moderator: Oscar Ng Hwee Leng 

Kwan Shan Mei lived and worked in Singapore from 1963 to 1999, creating many classics such as the Moongate series, the Adventures of Mooty the Mouseand Animal Frolics. But her readers did not know much about her as she was a very private person. Join us for an intimate afternoon of sharing by friends and ex-colleagues as they reminisce about the consummate illustrator.

This session is presented in conjunction with the Kwan Shan Mei: Drawing From The Heart exhibition, as part of the 9th edition of the Asian Festival of Children's Content.

This session will be on Picture Book Publishing by Mr Edmund Wee from Epigram Books. 
Do come to the Writers Lounge, Book Council premises on 25 Aug 2018 from 10 am to 12 pm.

The Book Illustrators Gallery (BIG) is a display of diverse collections of works by illustrators and artists from Singapore and the region, featuring both published and unpublished picture book art. BIG not only presents quality artworks for the public to enjoy and appreciate, it also acknowledges and promotes the works of talented illustrators and artists in the region!

Admission is free.

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Singapore Book Council, AFCC celebrates the life and work of the late children illustration pioneer, Kwan Shan Mei 关山美 (1922 – 2012). In this retrospective exhibition “Kwan Shan Mei: Drawing From The Heart 关山美:以心动笔”, we will showcase a selection of her books and drawings provided by her family. 

Admission is free.

The National Centre for Writing (formerly Writers' Centre Norwich) was launched this June as a physical and virtual space for writers, literary translators and those working in the world of literature to meet, learn and collaborate. Join us for this talk by its Associate Programme Director Kate Griffin to find out about UK opportunities for Singaporean writers and translators, and share ideas for collaborating with the new NCW.

Don’t miss this opportunity to listen to world-renowned poet, playwright and academic Cheran, in an exclusive discussion of his poems in English. He will be reading from his latest work, In A Time of Burning, a collection of his poems that reflect on mass atrocities and trauma.

What is the role of literary criticism in Tamil literature? How does it help the development of the literary arts scene, particularly in the context of Singapore? Join us in this panel featuring three esteemed overseas speakers, who are also the judges in the Singapore Literature Prize Tamil categories this year.

தமிழ் இலக்கியத்தில் இலக்கியத் திறனாய்வின் பங்கு என்ன? குறிப்பாக சிங்கப்பூர் சூழலில் இலக்கியத்தின் வளர்ச்சிக்கு அது எவ்வாறு பங்களிக்கிறது? புகழ்பெற்ற வெளிநாட்டு அறிஞர்கள் ​மூவருடன் கலந்துரையாட வாருங்கள். அவர்கள் ​மூவரும் இவ்வாண்டு சிங்கப்பூர் இலக்கியப் பரிசின் தமிழ்ப் பிரிவுகளுக்கு நடுவர்களாகப் பணியாற்றியவர்கள்.