The Bali Arts Festival is an annual cultural treat for visitors which traditionally runs from mid-June through mid-July. The event is the perfect moment for witnessing Bali’s wealth of performing arts. You’ll also catch a glimpse of various cultural highlights from other islands in Indonesia.
The festival is locally known as Pesta Kesenian Bali or ‘PKB’ for short and is one of the main highlights on Bali’s calendar of events. The annual celebration showcases the island’s wealth of artworks and cultural achievements. Following a grand opening procession, the festival’s main events are held at the Taman Werdhi Budaya Arts Centre in Denpasar.
Bali Arts Festival and Bali Arts Centre
The Bali Arts Festival usually kicks off with an opening parade in front of the Bajra Sandhi monument in Denpasar. Hundreds of participating artists from Denpasar, Bali’s 8 provinces, neighbouring islands, and even art troupes from abroad, participate and showcase their best works and talents.
On the following days, the various stages and different venues of the Bali Arts Center come to life with the wide and colourful variety of performances from different art groups from all over the island and Indonesia. The month-long festival offers you the best of Balinese and Indonesian arts and culture.
On regular days, Denpasar Art Center introduces you to magnificent sculptures and Balinese architectural features. It’s also a venue of choice for photo shoots with exotic backdrops. During special events, crowds gather in front of the art center’s open stages, auditoriums or outdoor pavilions to admire traditional and contemporary dances.
Art exhibits and performances of the Bali Arts Festival
You can usually enjoy traditional music and gamelan recitals at the Ayodya and Angsoka stages and witness evening Balinese documentary film screenings at the Ksirarnawa auditorium. There are Balinese children’s Gong Kebyar gamelan jam sessions at the Ardha Candra amphitheatre, together with vocal, musical and dance collaborations.
Browse through handicrafts, paintings and sculptures at the art exhibition spaces. Traditional culinary bazaars feature favorite Balinese dishes. The Bali Arts Festival customarily closes with a small ceremony and an evening traditional ballet known as sendratari, held at the Ardha Candra open stage.
Location: Denpasar Arts Center (Taman Werdhi Budaya), Jalan Nusa Indah, Denpasar
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