Awareness, empathy & action for Ubud Writers Festival

Every year, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali has a theme, and for 2026, it is Samarasa.

Drawn from Sanskrit philosophy, it encompasses awareness, empathy and action.

Citta (mind), Rasa (heart), and Karsa (action).

Festival founder and director Janet DeNeefe says: “We will reflect on how thought, feeling and action can exist in harmony, with awareness bringing clarity, empathy building connection, and action turning insight into purpose.”

The festival is from October 21 to 25, 2026, and passes for the whole event are available at ubudwritersfestival.com/tickets.

+ This year’s festival artwork is by young Balinese artist Wayan Aris Sarmanta, who paints in Batuan style. This distinctive Balinese style creates dense, intricate and atmospheric scenes.

+ A three-day intensive retreat for writers of all levels will be led by award-winning author Peter Godwin. For writers working on memoir, autobiographical fiction or narrative non-fiction, this is your chance.