“I don't think we could have ever imagined that the [Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF)] would become as big as it has. But also, no one ever thought Bali would be a victim of terrorism, but as we all know, it has,” said Janet DeNeefe, UWRF’s founder and director, referring to a terrorist attack in October 2002 that involved the detonation of three bombs and claimed more than 200 lives. 

“This single act of terrorism was the catalyst that gave birth to our festival. The vision for positive change, greater inclusion and, of course, the presentation of exceptional literary artists emerged.” 

Almost two decades later, the UWRF has grown into one of the biggest literary festivals in Southeast Asia – the Telegraph even ranked it among the top five literary festivals worldwide. Of course, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, the COVID-19 pandemic being one of the bigger obstacles along the way. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged thousands of arts organizations in unexpected ways,” Janet acknowledged. “At UWRF, we wanted to ensure we continued to enact our vision of connecting readers to ideas and books, even when in-person events needed to be postponed. So the pandemic really taught us the world of virtual festivals and how to master new technology and social media.”

This year, the UWRF’s lineup includes many renowned names, both Indonesian and international.

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