The Festival is just a few days away, and we cannot wait to spend this four-day long weekend with you, tackling big ideas and revelling in the power of words.
Browse through our Daily Schedule below and discover what we are most excited about in a complete Day-by-day Highlight Guide.
For traveling foodies and curious cooks, discovering local produce at traditional markets is an essential holiday ingredient. With the Casa Luna Cooking School team, learn about Balinese cuisine’s colorful array …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
Join us as Ubud Writers & Readers Festival begins with a traditional Balinese welcome dance, a warm welcome from out Founder and Director Janet Deneefe. This year we celebrate 19 …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Janet Deneefe •
We reflect on the extraordinary life and immense contribution that Putu Oka Sukanta has made to Indonesian literature over more than 40 years. Imprisoned for 10 years during the Soeharto …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Putu Oka Sukanta • John H. McGlynn •
Join an upbeat shadow play workshop where you can create your own puppets. The theme of this playful story is ‘Garden Universe’, depicting the events of a magical full moon …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Susan Allen • Susiawan •
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein. Language is imbued with cultural values, ways of thinking, and histories that must be preserved and …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Gill Westaway • Putu Juli Sastrawan • Audrey Magee • Saut Poltak Tambunan •
Though the stories we read may be fiction, often at their heart are characters that feel genuine and real. How does a writer know where to begin writing these inner …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Julia Prendergast • Allen C. Jones • NoahJon Marshall • Mirandi Riwoe •
Lives Between the Lines is a family story of Michael Vatikiotis’s grandparents and parents in the Levant, spanning from the mid-1800s to the end of the Second World War in …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Janet Steele • Michael Vatikiotis •
How do we create belonging and space for ourselves to feel a sense of inclusion? Our speakers come together to discuss their experiences of living between cultures and the importance …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Olin Monteiro • Sasti Gotama • Tash Aw • Osman Yousefzada •
Saras Dewi, Doctor of Philosophy and author of Ecophenomenology, and Esther Vincent Xueming, author of Red Earth, an ecofeminist poetry collection, discuss the connections between feminism, healing, and ecology and …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Arin Alycia Fong • Saras Dewi • Esther Vincent Xueming •
As we celebrate the growing rise in diverse stories and representation on bookshelves around the world, it remains important to acknowledge how far the literary industry has left to go. …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Rob Arnold • Dub Leffler • Maria Pankratia • Eva Fernandes •
Reda Gaudiamo is an award-winning writer who specialises in children’s books, short stories, and novels for young adults. Her book series Na Willa is the story of a little girl …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Reda Gaudiamo •
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a scholar of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, tells of her false imprisonment in Iran from September 2018 to November 2020. Her memoir The Uncaged Sky is a detailed, beautifully …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Drew Ambrose • Kylie Moore-Gilbert •
Laura Jean McKay, Norman Erikson Pasaribu, and Sequoia Nagamatsu explore the power of speculative fiction to educate and influence our behavior by ultimately posing the “what if?” question through their …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Mirandi Riwoe • Laura Jean McKay • Norman Erikson Pasaribu • Sequoia Nagamatsu •
Two voices from the younger generation, Laksmi DeNeefe Suardana and Andovi Da Lopez, will invite us to empathize with literacy issues and social problems around us. Both of them are …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Andovi Da Lopez • Laksmi DeNeefe Suardana • Vanesa Martida •
In Conversation is a milestone in Janice Whyne’s journey of rediscovery. The poems in In Conversation were born from words taken from snippets of conversations and media – words which …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Janice Whyne •
Being Unhappy is a Choice, Adi K: “I remember every moment. That’s what hurts me the most.” Being Unhappy is a Choice is a poetry collection about disappointment and unhappiness, …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Adi K. • Tenni Purwanti •
Bloodrust and other stories craft frank depictions of family, mental health, youth, aging, love, and lust that speak to the fragility of life, and to the dangerous games we play …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Julia Prendergast •
Indonesian art is as diverse and dynamic as the extraordinary cultures that flourish across the archipelago, with many artists fusing traditional with new techniques. Join our photo journey in tracing …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Aaron Seeto • Saras Dewi • Jewel Topsfield •
The wellness industry has become a multi-billion-dollar business that claims to improve our health, happiness, and longevity. Our speakers share their research and personal stories that shed light on the …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Fariha Roisin • Bandana Tewari • Huda Fadlelmawla • Eva Fernandes •
Together with Teater Kacak Kicak, we will turn recycled materials into cute puppets. This fun craft workshop will help promote self-expression & crafting creativity within your child. Children will be …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Teater Kacak Kicak •
Growing up in Singapore, Simran always knew what was expected of her: to be a mother and a wife. The only problem? She wants nothing to do with this. Simran …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Kelly Kaur • Sebastian Partogi •
The anthology Memayu Hayuning Bawana: Antologi Cerita Pendek Emerging Writers 2022 is a collection of short stories from ten emerging writers in the UWRF 2022. In response to various surrounding …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Andi Makkaraja • Awi Chin • Eko Darmoko • Wayan Agus Wiratama • Putu Juli Sastrawan • Iin Farliani • Muhammad Nanda Fauzan • Puspa Seruni • Ricky A Manik • Sasti Gotama •
What relationship does the written word have to activism? Our speakers offer their unique perspectives on how writing can transcend borders, build bridges between us, and inspire global change. Join …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Marina Mahathir • Giuseppe Catozzella • Prodita Sabarini • Jewel Topsfield •
Regional disparities in literary access have contributed to many eastern Indonesian stories and narratives remaining untold. Listen to writers and community activists Aprila RA Wayar, Felix K. Nesi, and Maria …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Olin Monteiro • Aprila Wayar • Maria Pankratia • Felix K. Nesi •
It is rare to find in an individual the rigor of an experienced pedagogue and the creativity of a musician with a childlike soul. Inside this book, Mrs. Maria Antonia …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Maria Antonia Rahartati Bambang Haryo •
What would you do if you realized you were living with the enemy? Would you panic and risk death? Or would you try to remain calm, play along, and try …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Sandila Ekaputri •
Our poets commemorate 100 years of Chairil Anwar. One of Indonesia’s most celebrated young poets, in his short career, Chairil Anwar created a profound body of work that became the …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Joko Pinurbo • Kadek Sonia Piscayanti • Adi K. • Hasan Aspahani •
Environmental sustainability is something to keep at the heart of anything we do. How can we form an environmentally friendly creative practice, and how does this shape and transform the …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 27 Oct
Speaker: Rara Sekar • Andhyta Firselly Utami (AFUTAMI) • Bandana Tewari • Aaron Seeto • Osman Yousefzada •
Understanding Putu Oka Sukanta’s writing journey, three books will be launched that represent his creative genre, title Tutur Wani (Short Stories Collection, Badak Merah Publisher), The Isolation Poems (Poetry Collection, …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Putu Oka Sukanta • Magdalena Sitorus • I Putu Supartika • Galuh Wandita •
Join a lively Indolitclub discussion of two stories from the UWRF 2022 Anthology. The stories were written by Eko Darmoko and Sasti Gotama from their unique cultural, historical, social, and …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Toni Pollard • Eko Darmoko • Sasti Gotama •
Travel across the coast of Australia, Bali and Hawaii with Morning of the Earth. The classic film made in 1972 by Alby Falzon and David Elfick portrays surfers living in …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker:
Come together to see performances of children’s and youth theater across a variety of mediums. Puppet theater will be performed by Kacak Kicak and a motion theater performance by the …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Teater Kacak Kicak • Komunitas Mahima •
View the Gurat Institute & Art Project, a Bali art collective that is actively exploring the Island’s art. Learn about Prasi paintings on lontar and the works of I Gusti …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Dewa Gede Purwita-Sukahet • I Made Susanta Dwitanaya • Carma Citrawati • I Gede Gita Purnama •
Richard Oh’s death has left a sorrowful void in the literary community. We will remember him as a writer, director, and a great patron of Indonesian literature who, for more …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker:
Meet Ketut Widi Artawan in a riotous discussion about his recent life as a Youtuber and social media comedian. A master of tourist accents and idioms, many of Ketut’s sketches …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Sami Shah • Stand Up Indo – Bali • Tom Doig •
Enjoy the night at the Music Stage, Taman Baca, with music from the island’s best talents, Gabriela Fernandes and Hydra, and indulge in a variety of food options at the …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Gabriela Fernandez •
Join our intrepid food guides on a walking tour to the homes of Ibu Oka, the doyenne of suckling pig, Pak Rimpin, Ubud’s master of Bebek Betutu, smoked duck; and …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
Kick-start your Festival day with traditional Balinese treats and coffee while learning the basics of Bahasa Indonesia with the bubbly team from Cinta Bahasa. Learn key greetings, the dos, and …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
Journalist and writer Brigid Delaney’s latest book, Reasons Not to Worry tells of the Stoic principles of virtue, moderation and self-discipline from the teachings of three ancient guides, Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus. …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Gill Westaway • Brigid Delaney • Eric Weiner •
Experience a permaculture garden with our special guest Rara Sekar at Mana Earthly Paradise, Ubud. Natural canals weave across lush gardens, bringing fresh water in from the nearby rivers and …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Rara Sekar •
British activist, interdisciplinary artist, and celebrated designer Osman Yousefzada, discusses his first book, The Go-Between, a uniquely observed memoir of his childhood growing up between worlds in a closed migrant community. …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Bandana Tewari • Osman Yousefzada •
Preeta Samarasan, author of Tale of the Dreamer’s Son, tells stories of family, race, religion, tradition versus modernity, all with a backdrop of Malaysian heritage. Janet Steele welcomes Preeta to …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Janet Steele • Preeta Samarasan • Tash Aw •
With creativity as the container and the arts as the way, we’ll delve into a deeply reflective process of uncovering the signs, messages, images and directions our soul has been …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker: Susan Allen • Susiawan •
Body and nature are inseparable elements. The dancers respond to natural energy and process it into works, which awaken our sensitivity to the universe and deepen our soul. Join a …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Fitri Setyaningsih •
In response to the novel Yang Menari Dalam Bayangan Inang Mati by Ni Made Purnama Sari, artist Erica Hestu Wahyuni paints iconic illustrations of Bali in a naïvely innocent depiction. …
Category: Art Exhibitions • Free Events
Speaker: Erica Hestu Wahyuni • Ni Made Purnama Sari •
Iconic for both its artistry and long history, Indonesia’s batik is designated by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Whether printing with a cap or …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
From the first days of a child’s life, their skills in language and literacy are shaped by listening and interacting with the people around them. Children’s author Ariyo Zidni and …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Ariyo Zidni • Dub Leffler • Piotr Karski • Reda Gaudiamo •
Dramatic mountains, oceans, rivers, trees, and iconic wildlife are synonymous with Indonesia and the Austral-Asian region. But, we are all beginning to understand that our environment is changing and that …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Darryl Jones • Andhyta Firselly Utami (AFUTAMI) • Tom Doig • Claire O’Rourke •
Poetry has the power to move, inspire and unite us. Poetry, out of all the literary genres, chooses the most beautiful ‘passage.’ Join us for a poetry reading that centres …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Miles Merrill • João Morgado • Rob Arnold • Allen C. Jones •
In conflicts and humanitarian events around the world, what are the experiences of women? Magdalena Sitorus’s research explores the perspectives of women survivors of Indonesia’s 1965 mass killings, as does …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Elena Williams • Magdalena Sitorus • Faiza Mardzoeki •
The story of refugees is one of survival, transformation, and triumph. Max Rosochinsky and Oksana Maksymchuk fled Ukraine right before the outbreak of the war. Giuseppe Catozzella’s book Don’t Tell Me …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Michael Vatikiotis • Oksana Maksymchuk • Max Rosochinsky • Giuseppe Catozzella •
Can re-telling narratives change our understanding of contemporary Indonesian history? Peter Carey, Eko Darmoko, and Max Lane discuss why the analysis of the longest period of Indonesian history, the New …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Saras Dewi • Max Lane • Eko Darmoko • Peter B. Carey •
This is Marina Mahathir’s story, from her perspective and no one else’s. It is, she hopes, the answer to the question: What is it like to be Dr M’s daughter? …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Desi Anwar • Marina Mahathir •
Join prize winners of Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and the Australasian Association of Writing Programs, whose collective vision is to promote the work of under-represented writers to a broader …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Alison Entrekin • Karen McKnight • Soudhamini • Julia Prendergast • Dr. Lilit Žekulin Thwaites •
How does storytelling differ from one medium to another? Join writer and comedian Sami Shah, documentary producer Kirsti Melville, and writer Brigid Delaney as they present writing across different genres …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Rosemarie Milsom • Kirsti Melville • Brigid Delaney • Sami Shah •
The Endemic Animals Storybook Series is written to introduce endemic animals through an informative story. The first series tells of the courage when a male proboscis monkey must cross a …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Nurul Ilmi • Nana Ernawati •
Storytelling offers a glimpse into the triumph and tragedy of individual lives affected by migration. Our authors explore the journeys people take to create new lives and opportunities. What do …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Ramayda Akmal • Emily Brugman • Ahmad Fuadi • Nawaaz Ahmed •
Meet our special guest, Andovi Da Lopez who is a YouTuber, content creator, and media practitioner. This workshop is on the how and why of creating content. How to make …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Andovi Da Lopez •
The dreams of Kayu have always been strange. He remembers them all, and although they feel real, they are absurd; they spin and dance to a logic Kayu cannot understand. …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Vanesa Martida • Kadek Sonia Piscayanti •
Microfiction, sudden fiction, or flash fiction is exactly what it sounds like — fictional work of extreme brevity that can be read in a flash. In this flash fiction workshop, …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Dr Anastasia Belikova •
Wayang fascinates and endures, bearing the weight of Javanese culture and tradition as a key component of rites of passage, as a medium of ritual and spiritual practice, and as …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Kathryn “Kitsie” Emerson • Ki Purbo Asmoro • Julia Winterflood •
Stories grant us the power to create parallel universes within which we may explore ourselves and our world, including examining our social and political landscapes. Join award-winning Irish author Audrey …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Gill Westaway • Felix K. Nesi • Dr. Ravi Shankar • Audrey Magee •
Come and join Ariyo Zidni – an international storyteller and children’s story writer – and the Bali Storytelling Community as they intensely spin and weave stories that will inspire you. …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Ariyo Zidni • Bali Mendongeng •
Putu is an only child and grew up without knowing his parents. Growing up with his grandmother in a Balinese village, Putu was also brought up by traditional arts. Through …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Ni Made Purnama Sari • Erica Hestu Wahyuni •
My dreams of joining the British Merchant navy and strolling the deck in a white uniform, are shattered by a punch in the mouth within hours of boarding my first …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Peter Murphy •
Tulus Untuk Orang yang Salah, is the work of senandika – or soliloquy – from the bestselling author Boy Candra. It is about the complication of love, unrequited feelings, and …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Boy Candra • Putu Juli Sastrawan •
Our theme, Memayu Hayuning Bawana, from the Ancient Javanese Philosophy, of seeking beauty and harmony in our lives, can easily be related to contemporary society. Carma Citrawati, Ki Purbo Asmoro, …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Kadek Purnami • Carma Citrawati • Esther Vincent Xueming • Ki Purbo Asmoro •
“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world, you change things slightly; you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel —leaves …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Steph Harmon • Tim Baker • Eric Weiner • Philip Cornwel-Smith •
Isna Marifa’s debut novel Mountains More Ancient focuses on the Indonesian experience of slavery in South Africa. Set in 1751, nine-year-old Wulan finds herself half a world away from her …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Isna Marifa •
Clarissa Goenawan is an award-winning author from Singapore. Set in Japan, her most recent novel Watersong (2022) follows protagonist Shouji Arai. When he crosses one of his company’s most powerful …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Clarissa Goenawan •
Music has always played a key role in social activism and human rights movements. Meita Kasim’s debut novel, Out of Order was inspired by her own coming-of-age story featuring the 90s underground …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Sally Breen • Robi Navicula • Lauren Ziegler • Meita Kasim •
Radicalism and extremism continue to create considerable concern and conflict around the world. An expanding field of study is looking at the roots and influences on what motivates these groups …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 28 Oct
Speaker: Drew Ambrose • Carla Power • Kylie Moore-Gilbert • Dr. Nasir Tamara •
Suara Berbeda dari Pulau Dewata attempts to assemble ideas about Bali and its surroundings, especially those on the BaleBengong.id website. The articles included are written by contributors from all different …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Anton Muhajir •
Sip on jewel-coloured cocktails in Boliche, Ubud’s hidden, lamp-lit bar, while savouring tapas and the words of Giuseppe Catozzella, nominated UN Goodwill Ambassador and acclaimed Italian novelist, Joao Morgado, award-winning …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Giuseppe Catozzella • João Morgado • Emily Brugman • Laura Jean McKay • Geoffrey Williams •
The art exhibition Lukisan Sukma (Soul Painting) showcases paintings and prints by Susiawan. Using the visual language of abstraction that emphasizes the power of line and color, Susiawan expresses his …
Category: Art Exhibitions • Free Events
Speaker: Susiawan •
The book Menolak Ayah explores Batak culture by using magical words and presenting contradictions between traditional Batak culture and Jakarta society in the early 1960s. Join author Ashadi Siregar in …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Sebastian Partogi • Jennifer Lindsay • Ashadi Siregar •
Three couples with different ages, experiences, and relationship duration reveal their fears and dreams of living together in front of the camera. The director, Dorota Proba, approaches her protagonists with …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: Dorota Proba •
The trilogy: Jirah, consisting of novels Janda dari Jirah, Si Rarung, and Manggali Kalki, was written between 2006 and 2021. The books focus on a historical and researched approach to …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Cok Sawitri •
Do you know the stories behind the food on your table? Before You Eat, written by Kasan Kurdi in 2022, highlights the struggles Indonesian crew members experience on foreign fishing …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: Kasan Kurdi • Afdillah •
Invisible Hopes (2021) is the first Indonesian film reveals the real life of children born to inmate mothers who was forced to live and become victims trapped behind prison bars. …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: Lamtiar Simonangkir •
Meet the book editors who work endlessly to curate and publish high-quality work. Find out the best tips and tricks from budding writers in the publishing world and learn the …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Esti Ayu Budihabsari •
Dalang Ki Purbo Asmoro will present a lively new interpretation of a Javanese wayang performance that responds to the festival theme of ‘Memayu Hayuning Bawana’ which refers to how we …
Category: After Dark • Free Events
Speaker: Kathryn “Kitsie” Emerson • Ki Purbo Asmoro •
Experience young Balinese talent with incredible short films curated by Indonesia Raja. The collaborative program, initiated by Minikino, presents short films from several regions in Indonesia. The seven amazing short …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: Kardian Narayana •
To mark the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Chairil Anwar, the poet who laid the foundation for freedom of expression through poetry, today’s generation of poets will return to …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Joko Pinurbo • Komunitas Mahima • Fitri Setyaningsih • Hasan Aspahani • Rodrigo Parejo •
What are the characteristics of publishing nationally and internationally? Find out how to present your writing to the public and join the discussion on the intricacies of copyright. Novice writers …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Farah Purwaningrum • Ni Kadek Vany Primaliraning • Gede Wahyu Prasetya • Wedha Stratesti Yudha • Ditta Sekar Campaka •
Ukrainian poets, Oksana Maksymchuk and Max Rosochinsky join a powerful evening of spoken word, storytelling and wisdom in a prayer for peace, together with Miles Merrills, Venilla Rajaguru and Papuan …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Max Rosochinsky • Oksana Maksymchuk • Miles Merrill • Aprila Wayar • Venilla Rajaguru •
While music has become a space for experimentation, at the same time, it has played an important role in social movements. Three musicians will take the stage in this event: …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Robi Navicula • Rara Sekar • Reda Gaudiamo •
Join Darryl Jones in an early morning bird-walking tour across the Tjampuhan Ridge, Ubud’s most breathtaking iconic walk. The trail starts at the confluence of the Wos Rivers next to …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Darryl Jones •
Kick-start your Festival day with Balinese treats and coffee while learning the basics of Basa Bali with the team from Cinta Bahasa. Learn key greetings, the dos, and don’ts, as …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
The workshop will introduce you to the wealth of natural remedies growing wild around Ubud. Guides Lilir and Westi have studied Usada Bai, a traditional Balinese healing book, and have …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
Wake up your imagination and start your day writing. The Breakfast Writing Club is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow writers and festival goers, share a delicious breakfast together, …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Beth Cregan •
Hidden histories, secret identities and words unspoken. How do writers enrich their fictional worlds with layers that only unfold and reveal themselves over time? Writers Clarissa Goenawan, Karina Robles Bahrin …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Clarissa Goenawan • Nawaaz Ahmed • Karina Robles Bahrin •
In the face of trauma, writing can be deeply cathartic and help us make sense of our lives, our relationships, and ourselves. In his new memoir, Patting the Shark, Tim …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Kirsti Melville • Laura Jean McKay • Tim Baker • Dr. Ravi Shankar •
In The Art of Solitude, Desi Anwar’s musings and random thoughts captured during the time of Covid shows us that solitude is neither torment nor an affliction to be feared …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Desi Anwar • Rosemarie Milsom •
Join Gabriela as she guides you in a collective live painting, where you respond to the calming music of East Nusa Tenggara. The artworks will be created on circular canvases, …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Gabriela Fernandez •
How to write poetry inspired by experimental cinema works? This is a program that invites teenagers to cross the visual field and put it into free poetry. Guided by Minikino, …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker:
“Publishing your debut novel fills you with excitement and a fair amount of anxiety. We live in a noisy world, and it can be challenging for new writers to make …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Vanesa Martida • Emily Brugman • Puspa Seruni • Muhammad Nanda Fauzan • Diana Reid •
Named ‘A fascinating book about the creation and impact of one of the world’s greatest literary works, in Max Lane’s latest work, Indonesia Out of Exile, he discusses how the …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Max Lane • Debra Yatim •
The 2004 mid-air murder of Munir Said Thalib, one of Indonesia’s most famous human rights activists, continues to haunt Indonesia. In the narrative nonfiction book, We Have Tired of Violence, …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Matt Easton • Suciwati Munir • Elaine Pearson •
With their intricately woven leaves and stunning collection of petals, you’ve no doubt admired the Balinese Hindu offerings adorning homes, streets, and temples. Now you can discover the reasons behind …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
Southeast Asia is a diverse and complex region, geographically, culturally, and politically, with challenging terrain for media outlets to capture all these factors. This panel discusses the issues that are …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Deborah Cassrels • Aprila Wayar • Jewel Topsfield •
Jean Couteau and Eric Buvelot discuss Bali, 50 Years of Changes – A Conversation with Jean Couteau, translated from French by Diana Darling, looking back at Bali since the 1970s, …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Eric Buvelot • Diana Darling • Wayan Juniarta • Jean Couteau • Nyoman Darma Putra •
Poetry is an invitation for introspection, an opportunity to reveal your unique voice and unearth what it is yours to express. Join our speakers as they discuss their relationship with …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Kadek Sonia Piscayanti • Venilla Rajaguru • Bejan Matur • Afra Atiq •
From yoga and meditation to the importance of diet, self-care and survival, Fariha Roisin, Tim Baker, Brigid Delaney and Desi Anwar share their personal stories on the ultimate meaning of …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Kirsti Melville • Desi Anwar • Fariha Roisin • Tim Baker • Brigid Delaney •
Do you have a favorite character? Or one that has inspired you? If you could make and illustrate a character, what would you create? Join Piotr Karski, a celebrated Polish …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Piotr Karski •
Carla Power, the author of two Pulitzer Prize finalists in General Nonfiction, discusses in her latest book, Home, Land, Security, the emerging field of deradicalization. By inquiring into the stories of those …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Michael Vatikiotis • Carla Power •
Elaine Pearson, Asia Executive Director at Human Rights Watch, and Andreas Harsono, author of Race, Islam, and Power: Ethnic and Religious and the Indonesian researcher for Human Rights Watch, will …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Matt Easton • Andreas Harsono • Elaine Pearson •
Eleven weeks after Diponegoro’s detention on March 28, 1830, in Magelang, every conversation with Pangeran Diponegoro was recorded by three Dutch military officers assigned to escort his journey into exile …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Debra Yatim • Peter B. Carey •
Sesungguhnya Aku Menunggu, authored by Noviana Kusumawardani, is a book remade from a collection of short stories originally titled Lelaki Yang Membelah Bulan, published in 2009. The short story, Lelaki …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Noviana Kusumawardhani •
Anyone can tell you a story, but not everyone is a good storyteller. This workshop is designed to help parents and adults hone their storytelling skills. Reading and storytelling to …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Ariyo Zidni •
Global warming is the defining issue of our lives, so how can writers harness our creative process to respond? Drawing on Claire’s two decades of work in journalism and social …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Claire O’Rourke •
The digital revolution affects all aspects of human life. Economic patterns and structures all over the world have been upended by the rise of unicorns and even decacorns. Since COVID-19, …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Dr. Nasir Tamara • Jean Couteau •
Set in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, A Pandemic of Love is an anthology of short stories that explore the most complex human emotions, its love, and its complexity …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Munmun Gupta • Poppy Choudhury • Sebastian Partogi •
Memories often serve as inspiration for a writer’s works. No matter how far one may travel through place and time, we are always influenced by some of our most memorable …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Vanesa Martida • Iin Farliani • Boy Candra • Made Adnyana Ole •
Young adult fiction can empower, educate and inspire future generations, but when writing about challenging issues, such as climate change, child trafficking, and racial discrimination, YA writers must decide how …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Louise Bassett • Meita Kasim •
Meet Elidi and his friends through the adventures of Elidi & The Ancestor’s Garden with Sampoerna Academy’s literacy heroes, Ms. Adelina, and three student authors: Cassia, Charlie, and Victoria. Get …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Laksmi DeNeefe Suardana • Private: Sampoerna Academy •
Laksmi Pamuntjak, Preeta Samarasan, Afra Atiq, Ravi Shankar, and Joko Pinurbo present an afternoon of seductive readings, and musings on love, lust, and relationships while savouring Vincent Nigita’s dreamy macarons, …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Dr. Ravi Shankar • Joko Pinurbo • Afra Atiq • Laksmi Pamuntjak • Tash Aw • Preeta Samarasan •
Viji Krishnamoorthy’s debut novel, 912 Batu Road, is a journey of love, war, and forgiveness. It threads fact, fiction, and family in a story that explores World War II and …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Viji Krishnamoorthy •
How do we work across different languages? Words often elude direct translation and subtextual references, slang, and euphemisms in one language often mean something different in another. Join Tiffany Tsao, …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Sebastian Partogi • Ng Kah Gay • Tiffany Tsao • Kristen Vida Alfaro •
In Audrey Magee’s beautifully crafted novel, The Colony, she explores character, language, culture, and place on a picturesque Irish island and the impact of political systems and imperialism. Magee discusses …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Desi Anwar • Audrey Magee •
This book tells the life journey of an Indonesian woman with all her ambitions. Ambition is known as Jais Darga or Madam Darga, an international art dealer in Paris. These …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Ahda Imran • Jais Darga •
This fictional novel describes a woman’s journey from childhood to adulthood, leading her to ultimately become a formidable mountain climber, and lead climbing expeditions all over the world. She eventually …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Iin Farliani • Sania Rasyid •
Out of Order, the first novel in the coming series, The Tales of the Urban Misfits, is a coming-of-age fiction inspired by a true story. It follows the life of …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Meita Kasim •
The once beautiful Brantas River was now polluted. The water was smelly, and trash floated everywhere. There was a paper factory established on the river bank, which did not process …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Tyas Widjati • Maya Lestari GF •
What are the challenges faced by females writing in male-populated genres? Does gender-based discrimination still exist, or has it shifted? Diana Reid, author of Love & Virtue, Ramayda Akmal author, …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Ramayda Akmal • Diana Reid • Kirstin Chen • Annika Blau •
As we strive to improve conversations about race, racism, and racial justice, the environment in which we’re speaking seems to be constantly shifting. Our writers and poets offer their different …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 29 Oct
Speaker: Miles Merrill • Sami Shah • Felix K. Nesi • Huda Fadlelmawla •
Written amid many challenges, Love Munir records Suciwati’s life path as the wife of Munir Said Thalib, a courageous Indonesian activist who was killed for defending human rights and civil …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Suciwati Munir • Kamila Andini • Engel Tanzil •
Follow the stories of personal challenges and cultural survival that run beneath the surface of Indonesia’s textile arts industry and into a world of rituals, ancestors, mythology and ecological wisdom …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker:
Adapted from a chapter in the novel Jais Darga Namaku by Ahda Imran, Before, Now & Then (Nana) starring Happy Salma plays the main character, Nana. This film tells the …
Category: Film Program
Speaker: Kamila Andini •
In this event, we are uniting world writers to slam, spin, and interweave their original words in a fiery battle. With one poet to be crowned the UWRF 2022 Poetry …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Kai Mata •
Enjoy four short stories from Indonesian women filmmakers. I Had a Dream, Monodialog, Robot Mom and Chintya tell stories about dreams, self-care, imagination and family in unique ways. Supported by …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: Fransiska Prihadi • Olin Monteiro •
The world’s largest federation of national, regional, and specialist publishers’ associations, The International Publishers Association (IPA), will have the 33rd International Publishers Congress in Jakarta on 10-12 November 2022. Join …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Ditta Sekar Campaka •
Known as the giver of life, many believe Jembrana to be the last forest in Bali and the source of water for the surrounding villagers. Unfortunately, it is now slowly …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: Luthfi Muhammad • Prema Ananda •
A history into the Afghan cameleers and their influence of the infrastructure of Australia’s history and their relationship with Australia’s first nation people. A panel discussion with the film maker …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Hesham Habibullah •
Follow the tale of Ratih and Bagas, a millennial couple navigating between modern and traditional desires while preparing for their wedding. Gegaraning Akrami (2021) shows how the younger generation interprets …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker: BW Purbanegara •
Frau, a musician, and songwriter from Yogyakarta will feature on the Festival Music Stage on Saturday. Her song, Sepasang Kekasih yang Pertama Bercinta di Luar Angkasa has been played millions …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Join Darryl Jones in an early morning bird-walking tour across the Tjampuhan Ridge, Ubud’s most breathtaking iconic walk. The trail starts at the confluence of the Wos Rivers next to …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Darryl Jones •
This cycling tour allows you to see some of Bali’s greatest treasures. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking. A must-do! The tour starts just outside Ubud center and travels rice field …
Category: Cultural Workshops
Speaker:
Ubud Story Walks organizes historical walking tours for curious travelers in Ubud. Passionate about charting genuine experiences inspired by Bali’s unique history, all tours are led by certified Balinese guides. …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Jean Couteau •
Sorting through the vast amount of information created and shared online is challenging, even for experts. Disinformation and Misinformation often influence how political, health, environmental, and religious issues are viewed …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Andreas Harsono • Lydia Khalil • Prodita Sabarini • Tito Ambyo •
Where do inspiration and appreciation end and appropriation begin? What distinguishes cultural exchange from cultural appropriation? Will fear of cultural appropriation inhibits the work of fiction writers? Our panelists delve …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Awi Chin • Faye Olayo • Karina Robles Bahrin • John H. McGlynn •
No one ever thought Bali, island of the Gods, would be a victim of terrorism, but on 12 October 2002, two explosions rocked the streets of Kuta. This single act …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Ni Luh Erniati • Haji Bambang • Janet Deneefe • Deborah Cassrels •
In the last few decades, representations of complex women’s issues in popular culture and media have been on the rise. How do female directors negotiate the demands of mainstream audiences …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Meita Kasim • Nia Dinata • Kamila Andini • Ika Vantiani •
The Lontar manuscript is a witness to the development of written culture in Bali and contains a variety of knowledge and experiences of people’s lives. Words connect us not only …
Category: Workshops
Speaker: Carma Citrawati • Wayan Yogik Aditya Urdhahana •
Mimpi-mimpi dari Pulau Emas, Dreams from the Golden Island, is a poetic narrative by Elizabeth Inandiak and other writers and artists about the great sages of China, India, and Tibet …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Elizabeth D. Inandiak • Pebrianto Putra • Nia Dinata • Roy Mardianto • Mukthar Hadi •
Southeast Asia’s publishing scene continues to grow and evolve, but not without its unique challenges. For a region with such immensely rich cultures, histories, and languages, its many locally-celebrated writers …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Ng Kah Gay • Arin Alycia Fong • Kristen Vida Alfaro • Ditta Sekar Campaka •
Pressure and Pleasure is published to coincide with a major solo exhibition of the artist, Agus Suwage: The Theater of Me (2022), at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Private: Agus Suwage • Eka Kurniawan • Laksmi Pamuntjak • Mahfud Ikhwan •
Kopernik co-founder Ewa Wojkowska, who has worked with the World Bank and the UN on issues of access to justice and the empowerment of disadvantaged communities, Tungga Dewi, Co-Founder and …
Category: Changemaker Day
Speaker: Tungga Dewi • Soma Roland • Saraswati Ratnanggana • Ewa Wojkowska •
Bali’s own beloved chef, Wayan Kresna, dishes up a feast of Balinese food from the pages of his new cookbook, Paon, Chef Putu of Nusantara, cooks up family favorites. Maya …
Category: Special Events
Speaker: Nawaaz Ahmed • Wayan Kresna Yasa • Tjok Maya Kerthyasa • I Putu Dodik Sumarjana •
To truly move your audience, your words should cut through them. Claire O’Rourke, a campaigner and journalist, has been working in the field of journalism for over 20 years and …
Category: Children & Youth • Free Events
Speaker: Claire O’Rourke •
Drew Ambrose and Andreas Harsono specialise in uncovering corruption, human rights, and environmental issues. Together they share their stories, as well as, the in-depth process required for this type of …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Kirsti Melville • Andreas Harsono • Drew Ambrose •
With the advent of streaming services, books are being relied on more than ever to provide content. But what actually goes into the long process of turning a novel into …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Kamila Andini • Ahmad Fuadi • Kirstin Chen • Julia Winterflood •
Life in New York City was looking bright for Dan and Susan Fritz, who were living their dream. Susan was a working actress on the edge of success, and Dan …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Susan Myhr Fritz •
Elora Hardy, the renowned bamboo architect, takes you into the pages of Bali Mystique, a vivid visual journey that celebrates the “Island of the Gods” as a surf mecca, tropical …
Category: Changemaker Day
Speaker: Elora Hardy •
When the SALCON virus spreads and kills people rapidly, desperate civilians try to look for the Nagapuspa flower; a legend that’s said to treat all human ailments. It grows on …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Putu Juli Sastrawan • Arya Lawa Manuaba •
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s debut novel, How High We Go in the Dark, follows generations of intricately-connected characters as humanity attempts to rebuild after a pandemic. This haunting and hopeful story about …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Sequoia Nagamatsu • Steph Harmon •
In 2019, Joko Widodo – popularly known as Jokowi – was elected the seventh president of the Republic of Indonesia for a second five-year term. From modest beginnings in Central …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Michael Vatikiotis • Tim Hannigan • Ari Dwipayana • Darmawan Prasodjo •
Elora Hardy is the creative genius behind IBUKU, a design studio rooted in bamboo, that constructs breathtaking bamboo structures, merging natural and modern. Arief Rabik is the force behind Indonesia’s …
Category: Changemaker Day
Speaker: Gill Westaway • Elora Hardy • Orin Hardy • Arief Rabik •
The definition of ‘woman’ in the Indonesian dictionary has recently been reviewed due to its derogatory meaning that simply describes a reproductive person. While this is a strong starting point, …
Category: Free Events • Workshops
Speaker: Ika Vantiani •
Join in a celebration for the 35th anniversary of the Lontar Foundation and the publication of its most recent titles from Putu Oka Sukanta including Threads of Dignity and Once …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: John H. McGlynn • Diana Darling • Olin Monteiro • Pamela Allen •
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered major global repercussions, from surmounting refugee crises and unprecedented economic sanctions to a shakeup of world relationships that are leading to escalating tensions and …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Oksana Maksymchuk • Max Rosochinsky • Lydia Khalil •
João Morgado writes about the expeditions of Vasco de Gama, Magellan, and the spice trade with historical accuracy. Isna Marifa’s debut novel, Mountains More Ancient, focuses on Indonesian slavery in …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Mirandi Riwoe • João Morgado • Isna Marifa • NoahJon Marshall •
Nat Ma has traveled the world capturing and sharing stories of hero journeys through photography and film. Mickaël Couturier has been in the creative industry for more than 25 years …
Category: Changemaker Day
Speaker: Nat Ma • Mickaël Couturier •
Pabrik Vla Mopsworth is a story about a child’s love of custard and the community of a small mining town called Mopsworth. The main characters of the book are Benjy …
Category: Book Launches • Free Events
Speaker: Alastair MacDonald •
Local traditions are important to carry critical pieces of culture as well as form a foundation for our families and society. Join the panel to talk about how they present …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Sebastian Partogi • Andi Makkaraja • Wayan Agus Wiratama • Ricky A Manik •
Writers Fariha Roisin, Preeta Samarasan and Kirstin Chen discuss the identity issues that challenge them as writers, as well as ask how we can move beyond the optics of diversity to enact …
Category: Main Program • Main Program 30 Oct
Speaker: Sally Breen • Fariha Roisin • Kirstin Chen • Preeta Samarasan •
French-born Gary Bencheghib is a Bali-based eco-activist and the face behind Sungai Watch, established with his two siblings in 2020. A recipient of the 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent …
Category: Changemaker Day
Speaker: Suzy Hutomo • Gary Bencheghib •
Bali brings together various groups of people and ethnicities, who all have a bond of love for this island. With so many changes happening, how is cultural preservation grown without …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Carma Citrawati • Edward Speirs • Cokorda Gde Bayu Putra • Iin Valentine •
Follow the stories of personal challenges and cultural survival that run beneath the surface of Indonesia’s textile arts industry and into a world of rituals, ancestors, mythology, and ecological wisdom …
Category: Film Program • Free Events
Speaker:
Jean Couteau invites you to a discussion with the author of Bali, 50 Years of Changes: A Conversation with Jean Couteau, Eric Buvelot, about how otherness and nationalism have evolved …
Category: Festival Club • Free Events
Speaker: Eric Buvelot • Jean Couteau •
The final night of UWRF 2022 is a glorious evening with friends old and new. Come and meet the team behind the Festival, then join us on the dancefloor for …
Category: Free Events • Music & Arts Program
Speaker: Kai Mata • Hesham Habibullah • Bondres •
Sister festival:
