Gekrafs Bali opens creative festival in Denpasar

Denpasar — Gerakan Ekonomi Kreatif Nasional (Gekrafs) Bali will hold the Gekrafs Bali Heritage Creative Festival 2026 at Inna Bali Heritage from Oct. 22 to 24. The three-day programme will bring together arts, culture, music, film and e-sports in Denpasar.

The festival will also include a Cosplay Walks Competition, a pejati-making competition and exhibitions of creative work. Organisers describe it as a meeting point for creative-economy practitioners, communities, artists, young people and the wider public.

Activities are scheduled across the three days. The opening programme includes the appointment of Gekrafs administrators across Bali, a talk show with creative figures, a performance by Tekiber and a film screening. The second day will feature photography and creative-work exhibitions, e-sports and the Cosplay Walks Competition. The final day will include the pejati-making competition and table-manner training.

Why the festival matters to Bali’s creative communities

The event places Balinese heritage alongside contemporary creative forms rather than presenting culture only as a performance. Its programme links local traditions with music, film, visual art, gaming and costume, giving creative communities a shared setting for public participation and collaboration.

Visitors are invited to wear heritage clothing during the festival. The organisers also encourage creative-economy practitioners, communities, artists, young people and members of the public to take part. For foreign residents and visitors, the practical implication is that the festival is presented as a public cultural programme where participation includes viewing performances and exhibitions as well as joining the heritage-themed atmosphere.

The festival is connected to National Creative Economy Day, observed on Oct. 24, and is expected to create opportunities for networking, promotion and collaboration among Bali’s creative-economy practitioners.

Sources

• detikBali — Indonesian news report
• RRI — public radio news report
• apakabarbali.com