George Town Literary Festival 2026 Unveils Programme Highlights and International Line-Up
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 ...
Source: Penang Institute · August 12, 2026 at 8:43 PM · AI-assisted report
PENANG, 13 AUGUST 2026 —
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**George Town Literary Festival 2026 Unveils Programme Highlights and International Line-Up**
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The George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) 2026, organised by Penang Institute, has officially unveiled its programme highlights and majority of participating writers and speakers during a press conference held on 5 August 2026. 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.
Under the theme “Cosmopolises”, the Festival reaffirms its position as one of the region’s leading platforms for literary, cultural, and intellectual exchange. Festival Director Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng described the theme 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.
The Festival will feature 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 programme includes panel discussions, literary conversations, readings, book launches, workshops, student programmes, performances, and fringe events.
Key programme highlights include 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. The Festival also reaffirms 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.
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.
More programme announcements, including additional speakers and the full Festival schedule, will be released in the lead-up to GTLF 2026. The press conference 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.
Related: Penang