GIANYAR, balitourismnow.com – Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati proudly announces the selection of ten writers for the Emerging Writers programme of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) 2026.
Hailing from various regions across Indonesia, these writers were chosen through a curatorial process led by a team of curators consisting of A. Nabil Wibisana, Cyntha Hariadi, and Siska Yuanita.
The ten selected writers will take part in a series of preparatory sessions and workshops before their works are published in an annual anthology, which will be officially launched at UWRF 2026, taking place from 21-25 October 2026.
Since it was first launched in 2008, the UWRF Emerging Writers programme has become an important platform for discovering, mentoring, and introducing new voices in Indonesian literature to national and international audiences.
This year, UWRF received short stories from Indonesian writers that respond in diverse ways to contemporary Indonesian dynamics, ranging from local issues and social relations to history and the realities of a digital society.
During the submission period, which ran from 5 August to 29 November 2025, UWRF received 634 entries from writers across Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua.
Of these, short story manuscripts were submitted by 367 women writers, 256 men writers, and 11 writers who chose not to disclose their gender identity.
The highest number of applicants came from West Java, while this year also saw an increase in participation from writers based in Bali, with a total of 40 applicants.
These figures reaffirm that the Emerging Writers programme continues to serve as an important reference point for Indonesian writers from diverse regions.
The selection process was conducted in two stages, beginning with a pre-curation phase that shortlisted the submissions to the top 50 works, followed by a final curation stage that determined the 10 selected writers. The three curators reviewed and selected the works submitted to the festival.
The diversity of themes emerged as one of the most notable aspects of this year’s selection process. The curators observed the presence of issues such as land dispossession, environmental concerns, gender, and digital life as reflections of contemporary Indonesian culture.
Cyntha Hariadi emphasised that the selected short stories arise from human experiences marked by tension and uncertainty.
“In the context of curation, discovering Emerging Writers manuscripts is immensely valuable, as they enrich the landscape of Indonesian literature through a diversity of themes, forms, and perspectives, while also opening up spaces for dialogue across the varied experiences and backgrounds of the writers,” said Cyntha, one of the curators.
The ten writers selected for this programme are: Ajen Angelina (Ruteng), Arianto Adipurwanto (Lombok), Carisya Nuramadea (Bogor), Dhias Nauvaly (Yogyakarta), Galuh Ginanti (Denpasar), Hamran Sunu (Palopo), IRZI (Jakarta), Jein Oktaviany (Bandung), Nityasa Wijaya (Gianyar), R. Abdul Azis (Bandung).
The curators also noted several aspects of the selected writers’ works that can still be further developed. These observations will form part of the mentoring and training process before the writers are officially introduced during the UWRF 2026, taking place from 21–25 October 2026.
A. Nabil Wibisana, as Chair of the Curatorial Board, stated, “The Emerging Writers selection at UWRF does not merely seek well-written stories, but also strives to recognize the seeds of a distinctive voice, the sharpness of a writer’s worldview, and the potential of their writing journey.”
Siska Yuanita, one of the curators, views the short story as an important space for emerging writers to hone their authorship. “A short story is not simply a shorter form of the novel, but a laboratory of authorship. Within a limited space, every ethical and aesthetic choice carries greater weight,” she said.
As Founder and Director of UWRF, Janet DeNeefe expressed her pride in the selected writers, whom she regards as an important part of the regeneration of Indonesian literature.
“The Emerging Writers programme is a long-term investment in Indonesian literature. Through the mentoring, learning opportunities, and spaces for exchange that we create, we aim to ensure that new voices continue to grow, find their readers, and contribute sustainably across generations,” she said.
As part of its support for this programme, Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati is once again opening the Emerging Writers Patron programme.
This initiative allows members of the public to contribute to supporting the participation of the selected writers through assistance for anthology translation, travel tickets, accommodation, and other forms of support during the festival.
“Support from the Emerging Writers Patron programme opens up broader spaces for learning and networking for the selected writers. We hope this initiative will strengthen their creative journeys and enrich the landscape of Indonesian literature,” added Janet DeNeefe. [nip]