In an ambitious push to promote local literature, the National Arts Council (NAC), in partnership with SMRT Trains and Stellar Ace, launches Poems on the MRT today.
This initiative, running until 30 October 2025, transforms Singapore’s MRT network into a moving library of Singaporean poetry, providing commuters a daily encounter with local literature.
Produced by Sing Lit Station (SLS), a local literary non-profit, Poems on the MRT features over 100 excerpts from Singaporean poets in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.
The poetry can be seen on panels within trains on the East-West, North-South, and Circle Lines.
Highlights include a fully wrapped concept train adorned with poetry, animated videos by local artists, and video interviews with poets discussing their inspirations, enriching the commuter experience and celebrating Singapore’s multicultural literary heritage.
The poetry selection was carefully curated by literary figures including A. Inbha, Annaliza Bakri, Farihan Bahron, Joshua Ip, Noridah Kamari, Paul Tan, TrendLit Publishing, Yeow Kai Chai, and Zhou Decheng. K. Kanagalatha provided advisory support, with translations from notable local translators ensuring accessibility across languages.
The full list of poems is available at go.gov.sg/potm, and QR codes on train panels allow commuters to access the complete works instantly.
The launch includes a Pop-Up Library at Dhoby Ghaut Station on 1 November, showcasing a curated selection of Sing Lit titles alongside complimentary poetry zines for commuters.
Throughout the campaign, the public can join the Poems on the MRT Bingo Competition by capturing poems on train panels that match bingo card criteria. Winners will receive a Kobo reader preloaded with Sing Lit titles.
This initiative is part of NAC and SMRT’s three-year partnership, building on campaigns like I Play SG Music, and aligns with NAC’s Our SG Arts Plan (2023 – 2027) to bring Singapore’s arts and culture to the public.
