SINGAPORE, Sept 23 — The 18th edition of the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) aims to reach out to a wider audience through new perspectives and partnerships, as well as a refreshed format aimed at guiding festivalgoers through the event, which will run from October 30 to November 8.

“We want to have new ways of programming,” said Yeow Kai Chai of the National Arts Council.

The theme this year is “Island of Dreams” and features a record 242 local writers and 89 international writers, and more than 300 events.

This year’s edition will also feature new venue partners, including the National Gallery Singapore and The Esplanade.

One of the highlights of SWF 2015 is an overnight 12-hour event called “What I Love About You Is Your Attitude Problem.” Curated by Checkpoint Theatre’s Huzir Sulaiman, it features arts performances based on 24 texts.

The event is also part of SWF Stage, one of five new programming tracks. The others are SWF Pop, a year-long series of pop-up events all over Singapore; SWF Class, a series of workshops and master classes; SWF For Families, a family oriented series of shows that includes music, storytelling, and play and reading sessions; and SWF Beyond, a cross-genre programme featuring not just literature but music and film as well. Among others, it will feature local musician Sezairi Sezali, playwrights Alfian Sa’at and Han Lao Da and poet Divya Victor.

“It’s anything goes. It’s all about ideas we want this to be a festival of ideas,” added Yeow.

Also under the SWF Stage category are the lectures, as well as performances by In Each Hand a Cutlass and I Am David Sparkle in a double-bill concert.

Yeow also stressed that the festival has always been “a space where lively exchanges of ideas take place”. “We look forward to inviting audiences from all walks of life to look within and share the dreams they have for themselves and for society,” he said.

It is no surprise then that a range of publications to celebrate the nation’s 50th anniversary will also be launched at this year’s SWF. These include the National Arts Council-commissioned “Singathology,” edited by literary critic, poet and graphic artist Gwee Li Sui, which showcases 50 new works by past recipients of the Cultural Medallion and the Young Artist Award. — TODAY