Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2026

Join us for compelling, challenging, and honest discussions, guided by our 2026 Festival theme: Samarasā: Awareness. Empathy. Action.

The four-day programme will be guided by the theme Samarasā: Awareness. Empathy. Action., which comes from Sanskrit philosophy and emphasises the harmony between Citta (mind), Rasa (heart), and Karsa (action). It invites reflection on how thought, feeling, and action can exist in harmony.

We explore the forces that shape us to find a perfect balance of awareness, empathy, and action. From the technological to the spiritual, the personal, and the environmental, we trace the cycles of our existence, not just to understand where we have been, but to guide humanity toward where we must go: a future defined by compassionate response.

We are also thrilled to reveal this year’s artwork by Balinese artist Wayan Aris Sarmanta, a young talent whose work originates from his hometown’s Batuan painting style.

There are more than over 100 events taking place across Ubud, featuring over 150 of Indonesia's and the region's most exciting authors, actors, journalists, poets, and thinkers.