ARMA Fest 2026 opens in Ubud with 895 Balinese artists

Ubud — ARMA Fest 2026, the fourth edition of the arts festival hosted by the ARMA Museum in Ubud, opened on Saturday, 19 September 2026, showcasing Balinese traditional arts and involving hundreds of artists from across the island, according to local media and cultural commentators.

The festival takes place at the ARMA Museum complex in Pengosekan, Ubud, and runs over two main days, 19–20 September 2026, under a theme that highlights living Balinese artistic traditions. Coverage by Detik Bali reports that the event brings together 895 Balinese artists and performers, drawn from several villages in the Ubud subdistrict and from Ungasan in South Kuta, as explained by festival chair I Made Sutama during a press conference at the museum.

The main programme combines workshops, performances and competitions in Balinese traditional arts. Ahead of the core festival dates, a painting exhibition connected to ARMA Fest opened on Thursday, 17 September 2026, providing a visual arts focus that complements the music and performance activities.

Key figures and dates:

• 895 artists and performers, according to ARMA Fest chair I Made Sutama.
• 17 September 2026 painting exhibition opening linked to ARMA Fest.
• 19–20 September 2026 main ARMA Fest 2026 programme at ARMA Museum Ubud.

Music, baleganjur and youth-focused workshops

Detik Bali describes a programme that includes hands-on workshops and competitions in Balinese traditional music and performance, with a particular emphasis on youth participation. Among the headline activities is a baleganjur competition, featuring multiple groups (sekaa) from different parts of Bali. Baleganjur is a type of Balinese gamelan ensemble widely associated with ceremonial processions, and Tatkala’s coverage notes that nine baleganjur groups are taking part across the two days, with four groups performing on the first day and five on the second.

The cultural magazine Tatkala reports that the baleganjur contest at ARMA Fest is structured around processional performance rather than a conventional seated stage show, aiming to capture the dynamic “ngarap” style often seen in community ceremonies. The same report notes that, overall, the festival involves nearly 1,000 artists from a range of communities and artistic backgrounds, reinforcing Detik Bali’s figure of 895 registered artists and performers.

Local media highlight that the programme is designed to involve children, teenagers and adults, with school-age participants invited into learning activities and workshops. These include sessions on traditional music and painting, positioning ARMA Fest as an opportunity for arts education as well as a public showcase of Balinese culture.

ARMA Museum and local engagement

The festival is part of a broader effort by the ARMA Museum to energise its role as a cultural space for both visitors and residents. According to Detik Bali, ARMA Fest 2026 is the fourth edition of the event and takes place as the museum marks around three decades as an arts and culture institution in Ubud.

A feature from Kabar Nusa describes ARMA Fest 2026 as a celebration of the museum’s 30-year journey as a venue for art and culture in Ubud, underlining its significance as one of Bali’s well-known art institutions. The same coverage notes that the festival’s mix of workshops, performances and competitions is intended to “revive” and sustain Balinese traditions in a contemporary setting, while bringing more local audiences into a space long popular with international visitors.

Preview coverage aimed at international readers, such as that by The Bali Sun, lists ARMA Fest among the key events marking the museum’s anniversary and confirms the festival dates of 19–20 September 2026. Together, these reports present ARMA Fest 2026 as both a cultural celebration and an outreach effort to strengthen connections between Balinese communities, young artists and one of the island’s flagship art museums.

Sources

• Detik Bali - "ARMA Fest 2026 Dimulai, 895 Seniman Bali Unjuk Gigi"
• Tatkala - "Energi Anak Muda Menghidupkan Baleganjur Ngarap di ARMA Fest 2026"
• The Bali Sun - "Bali's Most Famous Art And Culture Museum Celebrates 30 Years Of Inspiring Tourists"