Pesta Kesenian Bali (Bali Arts Festival) will occur from June 15 – July 13 in Denpasar

Bali Arts Festival, locally known as Pesta Kesenian Bali, is the annual arts festival in Bali and also the longest arts festival in Indonesia. Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB) usually runs for a month, from mid-June to mid-July, with daily performances from Balinese, Indonesian, and international artists. During the celebration of the Balinese culture, you can also find traditional food vendors around the venue and different cultural exhibitions. The opening of Pesta Kesenian Bali is usually marked by the inaugural parade at Bajra Sandhi Monument before heading to the main venue of the festival, Taman Werdhi Budaya Art Center.

History of The Bali Arts Festival

The first festival was initiated in 1979 by the late Ida Bagus Mantra during his tenure as Bali Governor to preserve and promote traditional Balinese art and culture. The first Bali Arts Festival ran for two months and attempted to display and show the classical Balinese art that was almost extinct and unknown to many Balinese then.

This month-long event aims to inspire people to discover and explore the importance of art in the Balinese community. Since its inception, the opening ceremony has been attended by presidents, ministers, or other high-ranking state officials. President Joko Widodo will attend this year’s opening ceremony.

Pesta Kesenian Bali Theme

Every year, this cultural arts festival brings a different theme, and this year, it is called “Jana Kerthi Paramaguna Wikrama, Harkat Martabat Manusia Unggul”, which roughly translates into The Dignity of Human Beings.

The Curator Team, Drs. I Gede Nala Antara said,

“Every story in every performance has to refer to the theme,”

as it is not merely a symbolic motto. He added the theme is aimed at giving the younger generations a concrete example of being an outstanding human being.

The Activities at Pesta Kesenian Bali This Year

For this year’s festival, there will be participation from 13.561 artists and 285 art institutions from many districts across the island. Not only within Bali province, but Pesta Kesenian Bali will also have artistic performances from the USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Malaysia, China, India, and Taipei.

This year’s planners of the Bali Arts Festival have eight main activities that will be featured during the event:

• Peed Aya: the march of Pesta Kesenian Bali

• Rekasadana: 60 art performances from every village and region in Bali

• Utsawa: 47 parades of art and culture of Bali

• Wimbakara: 14 various art and cultural competitions

• Kandarupa: art exhibitions

• Kriyaloka: 3 cultural workshops

• Widyatula: art symposiums

• Adi Sewaka Nugraha: awards for artists who have contributed to the Balinese art community

While for the cultural events during Pekan Kesenian Bali, there are two main activities:

• Perayaan Budaya Dunia di Bali or Bali World Cultural Celebration

• Jantra Kebudayaan Bali or Regional Cultural Week

Other Details About The 2024 Bali Arts Festival

💸 Entry Fee: Free

📍 Venue: Taman Werdhi Budaya Art Center

🌎 Website: The XLVI Bali Arts Festival

📅 Date: June 15 – July 13

Tips to Attend Pesta Kesenian Bali

There are a few tips before you go to this festival to ensure you have the best time and enjoy every performance:

• Dress comfortably and appropriately, as this is a big event, and there will be kids around. Not to mention, this is held in Denpasar and not in a tourist destination area

• Bring enough cash to buy food or drink as the food vendors there are likely will only receive cash

• It’s better to go there by Grab/Gojek, as finding the parking spot will be a nightmare

• Leave your valuable things at home/hotel

• Arrive in the afternoon, as many of the performances are performed in the afternoon/evening and also to avoid the heat

• Check the schedule at the festival’s official website

The annual Pesta Kesenian Bali is the perfect opportunity to see many authentic Balinese art performances, including traditional dances and musical performances, in one place. This year’s festival is promised to have more variety of activities and performances compared to last year’s, which hopes to attract more visitors.

If you are in Bali during this period, don’t miss this festivity, as it only happens once a year!