Reflecting on Nature: Singapore Botanic Gardens On-theSpot Poetry and Photography Competition
The Singapore Botanic Gardens On-the-Spot Poetry and Photography Competition is inviting aspiring
poets/photographers among Upper Primary school students (in Primary 4, 5 or 6) to reflect on nature.
Registration Deadline: 15 May 2016
Competition Date and Time: 28 May 2016, 8.15am -2.30pm
Venue: Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Key Information:
Language: English
Eligibility: Singapore citizens/PR; Upper primary level
Poem Length: From 3 to 14 lines
The accompanying photo should be of high quality and capture a distinct aspect of nature.
Application Process:

Send a completed entry form to [email protected] in pdf format.

Each entry form must be accompanied by at least one poem or story (original work by the student) that
will be evaluated by a panel of judges. Please note that this will be used for purposes of selection only.

Participants must send their applications to [email protected] by 15 May 2016.

Entries will be considered on the basis of originality, creativity, sensitivity to detail, and sense of form.

Students may include accompanying photographs together with their submission but this is not
necessary.

All selected participants will attend an hour-long poetry writing workshop before the competition on
the same day. Writing and photography prompts will be given to the participants, who will have about
an hour to write a poem. There will be allocated timeslots for participants to take photographs.

For enquiries, please contact Ms. Khoo Lilin at [email protected]
JUDGING
The top three winning entries will be announced in no particular order by a judging panel.
The panel’s decision will be final. It will not entertain correspondence about the judging process or outcomes.
PRIZES
Pupils with the top three winning entries will win attractive prizes.
Winning entries will be announced on the same day as the competition, 28 May 2016. The top poets who are
selected will be invited to read the winning entries at a children’s poetry workshop during the Singapore
National Poetry Festival on 30 July 2016.
The winning entries may also be featured on poetry walls in public parks as well as published in an anthology.
Rules of Competition:
1. The competition is open to Upper Primary school students who are permanent residents or citizens of
Singapore.
2. Entries must be accompanied by a duly completed registration form.
3. Entries will not be returned.
4. Entries must be written in English.
5. All selected participants must attend an hour-long poetry writing workshop before the competition on
the same day, 28 May 2016.
6. All poems must have a title and be from 3 to 14 lines in length (excluding title).
7. Entries on the day of the competition must be written based on prompts provided.
8. Under no circumstances can changes be made to poems and photographs once submitted.
9. The organisers reserve the right to change the judging panel without notice and not to award prizes if,
in the judges’ opinion, no entry deserves a prize.
10. The judges’ decision is final and neither the judges nor the organisers will enter into any
correspondence.
11. No relative of a current board member of the Singapore National Poetry Competition, the sister
company Poetry Walls or the National Parks Board is eligible to enter the Singapore Botanic Gardens
On-the Spot Poetry and Photography Competition.
12. Poems and photographs must be the original work of the participant.
13. Poetry entries should be written on A4 paper. Poems may span two pages. Entries can be single or
double-spaced. There is no contest fee.
14. Prize winners will be notified on the day of competition.
15. The copyright of each poem remains with the writer. However, writers of the prize-winning poems, by
entering the competition, grant the organisers the right to publish and/or broadcast their poems. Use of
the poems elsewhere for one year from July 2016 is subject to prior permission from the organisers of
the Singapore National Poetry Competition.
16. A breach of any of the rules above may result, at the discretion of the organisers, in disqualification
from the competition.
17. Successful applications who have been selected for the competition will be informed by 18 May 2016.
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ABOUT THE SINGAPORE NATIONAL POETRY FESTIVAL: The Singapore National Poetry Festival
(NPF) is a non-profit company that works with poets from and in Singapore to promote the Singapore poetry
scene. PoetryWalls Singapore is a sister company that aims to generate, promote, and foster greater interest
in poetry in Singapore through multimodal platforms such as public walls.
NPF was inaugurated in July 2015. With Mr. S. Dhanabalan as Guest of Honour, the opening night saw a
multilingual amalgamation of poetry, music and dance. Over the next two days, there was a wide array of
programmes held across venues all over Singapore. Audiences were treated to readings in English, Chinese,
Malay and Tamil. Other activities included poetry slam, multimedia exhibition, a travel poetry workshop,
poetry writing and keynote addresses. The first NPF Competition also saw more than 100 entrants across four
national languages.
NPF 2016 will hold true to its vision of using poetry as a platform to create appreciation of the rich,
multilingual culture of Singapore. Besides producing, presenting and facilitating collaboration across various
media, NPF also aims to organize associated events, competitions and activities related to the literary arts.
NPF 2016 will run from 29-31 July 2016. Our educational and venue partners include NParks, LASALLE
College of the Arts, National Junior College, the National Museum, National Library Board, National Heritage
Board and Gardens by the Bay. More information will be available on our Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/nationalpoetryfestivalsg/
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