SLF Aims to Establish Singaraja as the Literary Hub of Bali and Nusa Tenggara
Singaraja Literary Festival (SLF) has affirmed its commitment to establishing Singaraja as a center for literary development in the Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) regions. This initiative has gained further traction after SLF was entrusted by the Indonesian Ministry of Culture to manage the 2026 National Talent Management (MTN) Lab and Presentation program.
Made Adnyana Ole, the founder of SLF, stated that this program represents a significant opportunity to map and strengthen the literary ecosystem in the Bali-Nusra region, formerly known as the Lesser Sunda Islands.
“In the past, Buleleng often took pride in being the capital of the Lesser Sunda Islands; perhaps now, we can revive that idea and make Singaraja the literary capital,” said Ole during a press conference in Buleleng on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Ole expressed enthusiasm for the program, noting that hundreds of works from writers in Bali, NTB, and NTT were submitted before being selected by three curators: Royyan Julian, Kiki Sulistyo, and Maria Pankratia.
Out of approximately 200 submissions, 13 emerging writers were chosen, including six from Bali, four from NTB, and three from NTT. “The curators reviewed around 200 works from the writers, and ultimately, 13 emerging writers were selected: six from Bali, four from NTB, and three from NTT,” he said.
The 13 selected writers are Agus Wiratama (Bali), Bunga Damai Prasasti (NTB), Eyok El Abrorii (NTB), Beatrix Polen Aran (NTT), I Gede Aries Pidrawan (Bali), I Made Sugianto (Bali), Intan Soraya (NTB), Lina PW (Bali), Lisa Pingge (NTT), Mariemon Simon (NTT), Nityasa Wijaya (Bali), Novita Hidayani (NTB), and Puspa Seruni (Bali).
The participants will then participate in an online mentoring program from May 19-22, 2026, with the three mentors. Their works will then be presented as part of the SLF series, which will be held from July 3-5, 2026, in Singaraja.
Ole believes that the curation process also demonstrates the continued vibrancy of the literary scene in the Bali-Nusra region. According to him, many young writers in the area have gained recognition in national media and are actively building creative spaces independently.
He cited several participants from Bali who have a strong track record in the literary world, such as I Gede Aries Pidrawan, I Made Sugianto, and Puspa Seruni, who was previously selected for the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival’s emerging writer program.
According to Ole, SLF aims not only to nurture new writers but also to build a literary network across the regions of Bali, NTB, and NTT, so that the literary ecosystem in eastern Indonesia continues to develop.
“In the future, they can get to know each other, become friends, discuss, and monitor the development of literature in their respective regions. That is what we want to build through this program,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, SLF Director and MTN Promoter Kadek Sonia Piscayanti said that being entrusted with managing the MTN program is an important achievement for the literary festival, which has only been running since 2023. According to her, MTN is a national priority program to identify, develop, and promote Indonesian literary talent sustainably.
“As the host, SLF should be the center for developing literary talent in Bali, NTB, and NTT,” said Sonia.
Sonia explained that last year, SLF only received the MTN Talent Development and Inspiration Icon program, which focused on workshops and featured popular literary figures such as JS Khairen and Boy Candra. This year, the program level has increased to MTN Lab and Presentation because of its success in implementing the previous program.
According to Sonia, the MTN Lab is designed as an intensive mentoring space for young writers from Bali-Nusra through a curation and mentoring process. Meanwhile, the MTN Presentation serves as a platform for selected participants to present their work, discuss, and publish books.
“Indonesian literary talent has grown in an unstructured and unsustainable manner. MTN is expected to be a system for identifying Indonesian literary talent so that it is ready to compete globally,” she said.