George Town Literary Festival 2026 Unveils Programme Highlights and International Line-Up
The George Town Literary Festival (GTLF), organised by Penang Institute, officially unveiled the programme highlights and majority of the participating writers and speakers for its 2026 edition during a press conference held on 5 August 2026. Under the theme “Cosmopolises”, this year’s Festival reaffirmed its position as one of the region’s leading platforms for literary, cultural, and intellectual exchange.
Scheduled to take place from 27 to 29 November 2026 in George Town, the Festival will be hosted across two main venues—Wisma Yeap Chor Ee, in collaboration with Digital Penang, and Bangunan U.A.B., in collaboration with Think City. The Festival will remain largely free and open to the public, apart from selected workshops and special programmes.
Festival Director Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng introduced the theme Cosmopolises, describing it as an invitation to reflect on cities as shared spaces where diverse communities, histories, and cultures intersect. The programme explores how urban life is shaped by encounters, migration, adaptation, and coexistence, encouraging audiences to consider the ways people live together across differences.
During the announcement, GTLF revealed a line-up of 53 writers, poets, speakers, moderators, and contributors from 20 countries and territories, bringing together established and emerging voices from Malaysia and around the world. The Festival will once again feature a wide-ranging programme of panel discussions, literary conversations, readings, book launches, workshops, student programmes, performances, and fringe events.
Among the key programme highlights announced was the opening ceremony, “Letters of the Penang Diaspora”, which will feature readings of personal letters written by Penangites who have studied, worked, or lived abroad. Exploring themes of migration, memory, identity, and belonging, the programme will celebrate the enduring connections between Penang and its global communities.
The Festival also reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing young voices through “Languages I Live In: Student Short Films & Reflective Essays”, a student engagement initiative encouraging participants to explore language, identity, and their lived experiences through creative writing and visual storytelling. Selected works will be showcased during the Festival in a dedicated exhibition and student reading session.
GTLF 2026 continues to receive strong support from its sponsors and partners. Greatech Technology returns as Platinum Sponsor, while HSBC Malaysia continues its support as Gold Sponsor. The Festival is also made possible through collaborations with numerous diplomatic missions, cultural organisations, educational institutions, media partners, and community organisations, reflecting its continued commitment to fostering international dialogue and cultural exchange.
The press conference also highlighted GTLF’s ongoing efforts to expand its collaborative partnerships, strengthen public engagement, and further establish George Town as an important meeting place for literary and cultural conversations in the region.
More programme announcements, including additional speakers and the full Festival schedule, will be released in the lead-up to GTLF 2026.
