We’ve gathered a handful of events that feel thoughtful, welcoming, and honestly just worth your time. From a film screening in a village to a lively art fair that’ll leave your brain buzzing, this one’s for those weekends when you want something more than a party. Check out the list, see what speaks to you, maybe block off a day or two, and let yourself be part of something meaningful.

Minikino Film Week

Sept 12–19 | Various venues across Bali
Bali’s short film festival that doesn’t feel like a festival. 
It feels like hanging out, watching something unexpected, then talking about it with someone interesting.
What you’ll find:

• Screenings in pop-up and micro cinemas
• Indonesian and other Southeast Asian short films
• Q&As with filmmakers
• VR installations, talks, and workshops

Come solo, come with friends – either way, you’ll leave with something new in your brain.
Tickets: IDR 200K

Art & Bali

Sept 12–14 | Nuanu Creative City
Bali’s first international art fair with exhibitions, public installations, and creative sessions throughout the Nuanu campus.
What’s on:

• Over 150 artists and designers showing across galleries, installations, and outdoor spaces
• Workshops on textiles, printmaking, and sculpture
• Talks on art, identity, land, and preservation
• Family programs and guided tours
• Sunset performances and nighttime light works

You’ll get to see how global and local art scenes intersect – across disciplines, mediums, and cultures. Browse, learn, make, and connect.
Passes:
1-Day: IDR 135K | 2-Day: IDR 250K | VIP: IDR 5M | VVIP: IDR 40M (includes access, perks, hotel)

ARMA Fest

Sept 27–28 | ARMA Museum, Ubud
Traditional arts, living culture, and community – in one of Bali’s most beloved museum grounds.
Expect a full lineup of:

• Traditional performances and music
• Art exhibitions and community workshops
• Talk shows and film screenings
• Hands-on craft activities
• Cultural showcases at ARMA’s living museum space

Since it’s all set inside one of Ubud’s most respected cultural institutions, this is a chance for you to see and experience living Balinese culture – all in one place.
Free entry. Everyone’s welcome.

UBUD WRITERS & READERS FESTIVAL

Ubud, Bali | Oct 29 – Nov 2

• Southeast Asia’s most dynamic literary gathering – but also one of the most grounded
• Big panels on censorship, identity, and the art of resistance
• One-on-one sessions with writers who’ve actually done the thing (books, careers, revolutions)
• Workshops that break down the mystery of writing, from plot to publishing
• For those trying to finish their manuscript – or just hold a pen with less fear
  

If you’re writing, thinking, or even just reading, you’ll want to be here.

Passes:

• International – IDR 5.3M / USD 333
• Indonesian – IDR 1.1M / USD 65
• KITAS / ASEAN – IDR 2.65M / USD 170

SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL

Singapore | Oct 18 – 27
Yes this one is in Singapore, but we can’t stay away, and neither can some talents from Bali. So book your flight if you want to see which Bali writers are shining internationally. 

SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL is another heavy hitter in the world literary festivals festivals.
Expect spotlight panels on translation, memory, and what literature means in a digital world, workshops that teach you how to ask better questions. And of course spoken word,  including the unexpected collisions between poetry and punk, prose and performance

For readers who are curious, writers who are restless, and anyone drawn to words that move across borders.

Passes:
Festival Pass – SGD 30
Workshop & Masterclass tickets sold separately
Free events across venues for all ages and languages

FOTO BALI FESTIVAL

Nuanu Creative City, Bali | Jul 26 – Aug 17

• A festival about what’s personal, and what we all share
• 34 photographers from around the world explore LIFE through personal archives, landscapes, family, and ritual
• Thoughtful programming: visual literacy labs to sharpen what you see, story-led workshops to shape how you share, and connection nights under the star.

What does life look like through someone else’s lens? Find out here

Free entry.

JIA CURATED

Bali Festival Park | Aug 14 – 18

• Over 150 local and international makers across design, craft, and architecture
• Featuring upcycled furniture, miniature architecture, experimental materials, and scent-led installations
• Panels, talks, and hands-on sessions explore how we build, why we preserve, what design can do for a changing world and how do we make things that last?

It’s for anyone who’s ever wondered how things are made – and why.

Early Bird (until 13 Aug)
Rp 125K / day | Rp 350K / 5 days

At the Door
Rp 175K / day | Rp 500K / 5 days
Free for kids under 12.

IDEAFEST 2025

Surabaya: Aug 1–3 | Jakarta: Oct 31 – Nov 2
(Cult)ivate The Culture

What actually happens here?

Talks, workshops, showcases, and markets — all focused on turning local ideas into real-world impact. It’s where young founders, cultural workers, and creators meet to get inspired, share tools, and collaborate.

Examples of sessions and experiences:

• How to turn your food blog into a culinary business (with local food legends like William Wongso)
• Designing with culture in mind – from architecture to fashion to packaging
• Running a media brand in 2025 – the future of content, storytelling, and influence
• Market stalls by 100+ local brands — from plant-based food and natural dyes to zero-waste crafts
• Panels on youth entrepreneurship, women in leadership, and building community through design

Who’s it for?

Anyone trying to start something. Grow something. Reimagine something.

Whether you’re a student, freelancer, small business owner, or creative dreamer — you’ll find your people here.

Tickets from IDR 250K.

SUSTAINABLE FASHION FEST

The Ambengan Tenten, Denpasar | Aug 2 – 3

• A celebration of mindful fashion and collective creativity
• Includes: curated local brands, creative workshops, fashion show, and a repair station
• Clothes swap is part of the fest – bring good condition items to trade
• You’ll get 1 e-token per accepted piece to swap with something new

This is circular fashion made accessible, joyful, and community-powered.

Free entry

BITCOIN INDONESIA CONFERENCE

Canggu, Bali | Sept 5

• A full day of ideas, tools, and stories about building more open, resilient systems — from finance to freedom of speech.
• You’ll hear from global voices using Bitcoin to support communities, protect privacy, and rethink how value moves in the world.
• Designed for anyone curious about how Bitcoin can serve people and communities

You don’t need to be crypto-curious to belong—just curious about how people build, share, and challenge systems together.

Tickets: Local IDR 350K  | Regular: IDR 2.8M  | VIP: IDR 10.5M

Dapur Usada Cultural Heritage Events

To live in Bali without Usada is to miss the plot entirely. Dapur Usada consistently puts on some of the most thoughtful events on the island. History, tribal wisdom, politics, the OGs of Balinese healing and art – everything that shaped Bali and Indonesia we live in now.

In August expect

• The Island of Demons – a night of banned cinematography and post-screening dialogue
• A retrospective on Jokowi – Indonesian previous president
• And of course MWB Women in Business morning for women wanting to build business according to their own rules. 

If you miss depth and realness in your life, put anything by Usada in your calendar. 

Free entry