SG Culture Pass can be used for 1,500 SingLit titles at 40 bookstores from March 1

SINGAPORE – From March 1, readers can use their $100 SG Culture Pass at 40 bookstores islandwide and pick from a list of around 1,500 eligible Singapore literature (SingLit) titles from genres such as children’s books, fiction, poetry, plays and literary short essays.

The participating bookstores are Book Bar, City Book Room, Wardah Books, Union Book Co, Lingzi Warehouse Books Sale, three outlets of Maha Yu Yi, three outlets of Woods In The Books, three outlets of Books Kinokuniya and 26 Popular outlets. Eligible titles across Singapore’s four official languages are identified by the red stickers on book covers.

Each bookstore brings its unique flavour to its curation of titles. Book Bar in Duxton stocks over 350 approved titles and features one of the widest selections among independent bookstores, including exclusive titles. Meanwhile, City Book Room in Joo Chiat is leveraging its selection of literary works in English and Chinese. CDC vouchers can also be used at City Book Room.

The $100 SG Culture Pass credits can be used at all three outlets of Books Kinokuniya.

ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO

The credits can also be used to buy books at literary events and book fairs, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) announced on Feb 27. Approved events currently include the inaugural World Book Day, part of the Singapore Chinese Book Fair from April 17 to 21, and the 17th Asian Festival of Children’s Content from May 21 to 24.

To use the credits, customers will need to log in to their SG Culture Pass account on

https://www.sgculturepass.gov.sg

/ using Singpass and enter the credit amount to generate a QR code, which will be scanned by the cashier.

Book Bar co-founder Alex Chua told The Straits Times there has been strong interest from his customers about using their SG Culture Pass for book purchases and says the scheme will benefit bookstores. He adds: “Hopefully, they can expand the eligibility criteria to include non-fiction and cookbooks so that people can have more choice.”

MCCY will be adding more bookstores and titles.

The extension of the $300 million government scheme to books is already giving more visibility to SingLit in bookstores, with chains like Popular and Books Kinokuniya arranging prominent displays of approved books. Mr Ibrahim Tahir, who runs Wardah Books in Kampong Glam, said the scheme has made him reconsider his curation and start a new Singapore literature shelf at his Kampong Glam bookstore.

Indie bookstore Wardah Books has started a Singapore literature shelf in the lead up to the launch of the SG Culture Pass scheme for books.

PHOTO: WARDAH BOOKS

Epigram Books publisher Edmund Wee,

who closed his only bookshop in 2025

, said the scheme will benefit publishers but thought it should be expanded to include online bookstores. “Whether you buy from a physical or an online bookstore is not really very different – it benefits the author, publisher and bookshop, so long as it is a Singapore book.”

An MCCY spokesman said the Culture Pass credits aim “to encourage Singaporeans to experience local arts and culture in person”, adding: “Physical bookstores are a vital part of the literary arts ecosystem, also serving as community spaces for discovery, dialogue and engagement.

“Supporting them helps strengthen the ability of the arts to build a sense of community in Singapore.”

Mr Ibrahim, on the other hand, hopes that customers can see bookstores as places to learn and ask more about Singapore writing: “SingLit is still very unfamiliar to many Singaporeans and browsing in person remains the best way to encounter and discover SingLit. The weapon of every good bookshop is that we’re places of discovery.”

According to the 2024 National Reading Habits Study on Adults conducted by the National Library Board, only about three in 10 respondents read a SingLit book in 2024.

Launched on Sept 1, 2025 to boost the local arts and heritage sector, the $300 million government scheme is also applicable to plays, concerts, workshops, exhibitions and, more recently, films. MCCY said that $13.8 million of credits has been used to date.

Not sure which books are worth your SG Culture Pass credits? Check out

The Straits Times’ curated list of 4- and 5-star titles

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