Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival Thank you for joining the 2024 Festival! We look forward to seeing you next year! Browse the image gallery and discover ways to support our festival.
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From humble beginnings in 2004, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival has evolved into one of the world’s most celebrated literary and artistic events – an annual pilgrimage for lovers of literature and conversation. Bringing together some of the world’s most powerful voices in a melting pot of artists, authors, thinkers and performers, the Festival is a platform for meaningful exchange and cross-cu

ltural dialogue. A place where artists and audiences alike can discuss shared inspirations, ideas and concerns, the Festival transcends cultural and geographical borders to create a truly global community. Across five days, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival delivers an eclectic program of events – from fiery conversations to intimate literary lunches; gripping live performances to hands-on workshops.

Would you like to work for Southeast Asia’s leading and one of the most beloved literary festivals in the world, and hel...
03/01/2025

Would you like to work for Southeast Asia’s leading and one of the most beloved literary festivals in the world, and help create a space for readers, writers, thinkers, and activists to share ideas, tell stories, and celebrate literature?

We are currently recruiting for a range of ongoing roles to help deliver the 2025 Festival as well as various off-season projects, spanning media relations, programming, and social media.

Visit our website ubudwritersfestival.com/get-closer (or click the link in our bio) to learn more about the Media Coordinator, Program Coordinator, and Social Media Internship roles and how to apply.



Ingin bekerja untuk salah satu festival sastra terkemuka di Asia Tenggara dan paling dicintai di dunia, serta membantu menciptakan ruang bagi pembaca, penulis, pemikir, dan aktivis untuk berbagi ide, bertukar kisah, dan merayakan sastra?

Saat ini, kami sedang membuka rekrutmen untuk berbagai posisi, mulai relasi media, program, hingga media sosial, untuk membantu penyelenggaraan UWRF 2025 serta beberapa proyek di luar festival.

Kunjungi situs web kami ubudwritersfestival.com/get-closer (atau klik tautan di bio) untuk mencari tahu lebih lanjut tentang posisi Media Coordinator, Program Coordinator, dan Social Media Internship, serta cara untuk melamar.

We are grateful for the support of Bloomz Bali Rentals on our 2024 Festival, and the Shelf Therapy Book Corner at Ubud A...
24/12/2024

We are grateful for the support of Bloomz Bali Rentals on our 2024 Festival, and the Shelf Therapy Book Corner at Ubud Artisan Market this latest Christmas edition!

✍🏼 Panggilan Terbuka Kepada Para Penulis Indonesia! Kirimkan karya Anda untuk mengikuti seleksi Penulis Emerging dan men...
14/12/2024

✍🏼 Panggilan Terbuka Kepada Para Penulis Indonesia!

Kirimkan karya Anda untuk mengikuti seleksi Penulis Emerging dan mendapatkan kesempatan untuk hadir dan mempublikasikan karya di Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2025.

🔍 Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai program ini, sila membaca laman FAQ kami: ubudwritersfestival.com/emerging-writers-faq

📝 Formulir pengiriman karya dapat diakses di sini: ubudwritersfestival.com/emerging-writers-2025



✍🏼 Open Call for Indonesian Writers!

Indonesian writers are invited to submit their work for a chance to join the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2025.

🔍 For more information about this program, read our FAQ here: ubudwritersfestival.com/emerging-writers-faq

📝 The submission form can be accessed through: ubudwritersfestival.com/emerging-writers-2025

The Punch Community, a platform that highlights actionable insights and measurable impact across Bali, has awarded our F...
12/12/2024

The Punch Community, a platform that highlights actionable insights and measurable impact across Bali, has awarded our Festival the Impactful Event of the Year award, recognizing our dedicated work in enriching lives and inspiring countless creative voices from Indonesia to flourish.

This award celebrates two decades of the Festival’s work in inspiring thousands of people by bringing together renowned authors, thinkers, and artists in a diverse program of electrifying conversation, thoughtful debate, and a joyful celebration of literary culture over five days, positioning Ubud as an epicenter of dialogue.

Thank you to The Punch Community for this honor.



The Punch Community, sebuah platform yang menyoroti aksi-aksi keberlanjutan dan berbagai upaya organisasi dalam memberikan dampak nyata di pulau Bali, telah menganugerahi Ubud Writers & Readers Festival sebagai Impactful Event of the Year.

Penghargaan ini merayakan dua dekade kerja Festival dalam menginspirasi ribuan orang dengan mempertemukan penulis, pemikir, dan seniman dalam program percakapan, debat, dan perayaan sastra terdepan yang berpusat di Ubud.

Terima kasih untuk The Punch Community atas penghargaan ini.
Matur suksma.

The   venue partners hosted a diverse program of intimate gatherings, from a literary lunch with a multi-course Asian fe...
12/12/2024

The venue partners hosted a diverse program of intimate gatherings, from a literary lunch with a multi-course Asian feast featuring authors Fuchsia Dunlop, Aube Rey Lescure, and Juli Min at Casa Luna, to an enlightening afternoon in the serene Honeymoon Garden of dance and discussions on Hinduism and Bali’s enduring connection to India, and an intimate night of smooth jazz, poetic vibes, and romantic improvisation with jazz maestro Indra Lesmana and Indonesian singer Eva Celia at Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

There has been something for everyone.



Para mitra destinasi telah menyelenggarakan berbagai program istimewa yang merangkul banyak dari pengunjung Festival; mulai dari jamuan literasi dengan beragam sajian ala Asia bersama penulis Fuchsia Dunlop, Aube Rey Lescure, dan Juli Min di Casa Luna, hingga pertunjukan tari dan diskusi mendalam tentang Hinduisme serta pertalian antara Bali dan India di Honeymoon Garden.

Malam yang khidmat diiringi oleh alunan musik jazz, puisi dan improvisasi nan romantis oleh maestro jazz Indra Lesmana dan penyanyi Eva Celia di Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve jugalah salah satu pengalaman yang terus kami kenang. Selalu ada sesuatu untuk semua orang di !

This year again, we have gathered poetic delights aplenty to celebrate the form with some of the   headliners from our b...
05/12/2024

This year again, we have gathered poetic delights aplenty to celebrate the form with some of the headliners from our backyard and overseas. If you’re still amazed by these electrifying events, take a look at these sporty poets and incredible wordsmiths who joined us for these intimate gatherings, hosted by some of our amazing venue partners.

For more images, check out our festival gallery on Flickr at tinyurl.com/UWRF24Gallery or click the link in our bio.



Tahun ini, kami sekali lagi menyuguhkan ragam keindahan puisi untuk merayakannya bersama beberapa bintang utama dari dalam dan luar negeri. Jika Anda masih terkagum-kagum dengan acara-acara sini ini, mari lihat para penyair dan penulis hebat yang hadir di pertemuan-pertemuan intim yang dijamu oleh mitra venue kami yang luar biasa.

Lihat lebih banyak foto dengan mengunjungi galeri festival kami di Flickr tinyurl.com/UWRF24Gallery atau klik link di bio.

Safari satellite program   akan hadir sekaligus berakhir di Bangga, Sulawesi Tengah! Jika Anda gemar membaca, ingin menj...
04/12/2024

Safari satellite program akan hadir sekaligus berakhir di Bangga, Sulawesi Tengah! Jika Anda gemar membaca, ingin menjadi penulis, atau sekadar penasaran dengan keseruannya, jangan lewatkan lokakarya dan diskusi yang akan diselenggarakan di Luwuk pada 10-11 Desember.

Rangkaian acara ini gratis dan terbuka untuk umum. Registrasi di tinyurl.com/UWRF24SatelliteProgram.



The satellite program safari is coming to Banggai, Central Sulawesi for its final stop! If you’re an avid reader, aspiring writer, or simply curious to join the fun, don’t miss the writing workshop and book discussion happening in Luwuk on 10–11 December 2024.

All events are free and open to the public. Register now at tinyurl.com/UWRF24SatelliteProgram!

With the deadline for our 2025 Writers Retreat approaching, don’t miss the chance to join Australian author Charlotte Wo...
30/11/2024

With the deadline for our 2025 Writers Retreat approaching, don’t miss the chance to join Australian author Charlotte Wood for a week-long writing adventure from Sunday, 16 March to Sunday, 23 March 2025. Drawing on her experiences penning the celebrated novel Stone Yard Devotional, shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024, Charlotte shares techniques for crafting meaningful and powerful work.

Begin your creative odyssey before 2 December: ubudwritersfestival.com/retreat.

29/11/2024

Listen to or replay our first highlight conversation recorded live at the 2024 Festival, with new sessions released twice a week.

In this first episode, Nobel Prize–winning author and journalist Maria Ressa explores the impact of social media on journalism, the fight for press freedom, and the need for ethical storytelling in a fractured world, moderated by Janet Steele.

In an era of disinformation and heightened political tensions, Maria explains in this clip how lies spread faster than truths and how these platforms are being used on a grand scale as manipulation tools by authoritarian regimes.

To watch the full session, visit our website at ubudwritersfestival.com/media, or click the link in our bio to listen to this session on podcast platforms Spotify and Simplecast.

More extraordinary talks will be released soon. If you haven't already, subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when new episodes are available: ubudwritersfestival.com/subscribe

📢 Yogyakarta! Satellite program   akan hadir di Festival Sastra Yogyakarta, Buku Akik, dan Shira Media pada 29-30 Novemb...
28/11/2024

📢 Yogyakarta! Satellite program akan hadir di Festival Sastra Yogyakarta, Buku Akik, dan Shira Media pada 29-30 November. Geser ke kiri untuk melihat detail program-program menarik yang dapat kamu ikuti.

Rangkaian acara ini gratis dan terbuka untuk umum. Jangan lewatkan keseruannya, registrasi di tinyurl.com/UWRF24SatelliteProgram.

It wouldn’t be UWRF without its free public events, and hashtag  was no exception. Audiences could enjoy an awe-inspirin...
28/11/2024

It wouldn’t be UWRF without its free public events, and hashtag was no exception. Audiences could enjoy an awe-inspiring fusion of dance, music, and spoken word beneath the Plaza Patung Tjok Gde Agung Sukawati at the opening evening.

And with the support of CIMB Niaga, the Festival was able to showcase a series of free events with Indonesian rising music stars, including singers Sal Priadi and Petra Sihombing, while Indonesian writer Goenawan Mohamad, under the direction of gamelan expert Endo Suanda, brought to life a puppet theater adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes' 'Don Quixote de la Mancha' on the grounds of Museum Puri Lukisan Ubud.

📖   akan hadir di Solo pada 28 November! Berkolaborasi dengan Mangkunegaran, akan ada rangkaian satellite program menari...
26/11/2024

📖 akan hadir di Solo pada 28 November!

Berkolaborasi dengan Mangkunegaran, akan ada rangkaian satellite program menarik yang tak boleh dilewatkan para penggemar sastra, mulai dari lokakarya cerpen untuk penulis pemula, diskusi dan juga bincang sastra.

Rangkaian acara ini gratis dan terbuka untuk umum. Registrasi di tinyurl.com/UWRF24SatelliteProgram dan tandai kalendermu segera!

It's been a month since our Festival's opening. In the company of astounding authors and thinkers shaping the region's a...
23/11/2024

It's been a month since our Festival's opening. In the company of astounding authors and thinkers shaping the region's and the world's literature, we opened our 21st Festival with a magical night on the grounds of the Puri Agung temple in the heart of Ubud. In our first Throwback series, we revisit this special celebration, filled with ideas, music, dance, conversation, and unforgettable stories.

Following the tremendous success of 2024 Laura Jean McKay Retreat in October, we are thrilled to announce our 2025 Write...
11/11/2024

Following the tremendous success of 2024 Laura Jean McKay Retreat in October, we are thrilled to announce our 2025 Writers Retreat in March led by the award-winning Australian author, Charlotte Wood.

Shortlisted for the prestigious 2024 Booker Prize, this intimate writing retreat will be held from Sunday, 16 to 23 March 2025, at the Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa, a five-star resort that offers a serene haven in Ubud.

Drawing on her 30 years of fiction writing and her experience creating the acclaimed Stone Yard Devotional, this week-long writing course will feature five workshops, readings, exercises, and discussions to help you refine your writing skills and polish your work to make it shine.

If you’re a writer with serious intent and commitment, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you won’t want to miss: ubudwritersfestival.com/retreat (or link in our bio).



Menyusul kesuksesan Writers Retreat 2024 bersama Laura Jean McKay pada Oktober lalu, kami dengan gembira mengumumkan Writers Retreat 2025 kami yang akan digelar pada bulan Maret bersama penulis Australia peraih penghargaan Charlotte Wood.

Masuk dalam daftar pendek Booker Prize 2024, ia akan mengampu program menulis yang akan dilaksanakan pada 16-23 Maret 2025 di Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa ini, sebuah resor bintang lima yang menawarkan ketenangan di tengah Ubud.

Berangkat dari pengalaman 30 tahun dalam menulis fiksi dan kesuksesannya menciptakan Stone Yard Devotional, kursus sepanjang satu minggu ini akan mencakup lima lokakarya, pembacaan, latihan, dan diskusi yang dirancang untuk membantu Anda memperdalam keterampilan menulis dan menyempurnakan karya.

Jika Anda seorang penulis dengan niat dan komitmen yang serius, ini adalah kesempatan sekali seumur hidup yang tidak boleh Anda lewatkan: ubudwritersfestival.com/retreat (atau tautan di bio).

We would like to thank our incredible Festival Friends who helped us make this remarkable four-day celebration possible....
06/11/2024

We would like to thank our incredible Festival Friends who helped us make this remarkable four-day celebration possible. We’re so proud to work with some of the most exceptional partners from Bali, the region, and beyond, who believe in the value of storytelling. Without their support, this year’s celebration of words and ideas would not have been possible!



Kami ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Festival Friends yang telah membantu kami mewujudkan empat hari yang luar biasa. Kami bangga bekerja sama dengan mitra-mitra istimewa dari Bali, Indonesia, Asia Tenggara, dan lebih luas lagi, yang percaya akan nilai dari sebuah cerita. Tanpa dukungan mereka, perayaan kata-kata dan ide tahun ini tidak mungkin terwujud!

We would like to thank our incredible Festival Friends who helped us make this remarkable four-day celebration possible....
06/11/2024

We would like to thank our incredible Festival Friends who helped us make this remarkable four-day celebration possible. We’re so proud to work with some of the most exceptional partners from Bali, the region, and beyond, who believe in the value of storytelling. Without their support, this year’s celebration of words and ideas would not have been possible!



Kami ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Festival Friends yang telah membantu kami mewujudkan empat hari yang luar biasa. Kami bangga bekerja sama dengan mitra-mitra istimewa dari Bali, Indonesia, Asia Tenggara, dan lebih luas lagi, yang percaya akan nilai dari sebuah cerita. Tanpa dukungan mereka, perayaan kata-kata dan ide tahun ini tidak mungkin terwujud!

Address

Jalan Raya Sanggingan
Badung
80571

Telephone

+6281246838459

Website

http://ubudwritersfestival.com/

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Our Story

From humble beginnings in 2002, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival has evolved into one of the world’s most celebrated literary and artistic events – an annual pilgrimage for lovers of literature and conversation in stunning surrounds. Bringing together some of the world’s most powerful voices in a melting pot of artists, authors, thinkers and performers, the Festival is a platform for meaningful exchange and cross-cultural dialogue. A place where artists and audiences alike can discuss shared inspirations, ideas and concerns, the Festival transcends cultural and geographical borders to create a truly global community. Across five days, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival delivers an eclectic program of events – from fiery conversations to intimate literary lunches; gripping live performances to hands-on workshops.

Like many of the Festival’s previous themes, this year’s is drawn from a Hindu philosophy, but this time it’s one that is known universally. For many in the West, karma is a simplification of justice served. For Balinese Hindus, Karma Phala is the spiritual principle that each action has a consequence equal in force, and similar in form. “Karma Phala nak cicih” describes the belief; cicih means certain and swift.

“As actions in their previous life affect their present, and deeds committed in the present affect their future, Balinese Hindus are aware their fate is not divine in origin, but in their own hands,” commented UWRF Founder & Director Janet DeNeefe.

This year’s Festival, named one of the five best literary events for 2019 by The Telegraph UK, will explore the impacts of our personal and collective actions on our social and physical environments.