Photo Credits : Saisuthan Rajakaruna 2019

The last time a literary festival of such magnitude was held in Sri Lanka was 2019.

A new beginning in 2024 (4 years later), meant a new team, and a new website, for which they returned to me. The project being the Galle Literary Festival meant, there was absolutely no hesitation on my part. The energy, the intellect, the teamwork, the satisfaction of seeing a system slowly take shape & be put into operation, I would have it no other way.

The Galle Literary Festival, Since its launch in 2007, has become one of the most anticipated arts-focused events in South Asia, hosting a wide variety of talks, workshops, and art-walks all within the picturesque Galle Dutch Fort.

The Festival features the work of locally & internationally acclaimed writers and poets, as well as giving space to artists, photographers, & performers, as part of the Art Trail. Additionally, those who attend the festival have the opportunity to attend the GLF market, & intimate dinners & lunches hosted by their favourite authors, in a number of carefully curated venues, within and outside the Galle fort.

the Festival has a strong sense of community at its heart, and has always been held within the walls of a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, the Fort was first built by the Portuguese and  later extended by the Dutch and British. Now home to one of the island’s most diverse communities, Galle Fort’s cobbled streets, hotels, eateries and cafe’s, invite local & international visitors to gather for 4 days of inspiration, education, art and entertainment.