GEORGE TOWN, August 16 – The highly anticipated 13th edition of the George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) is set to return from November 23 to 26, captivating literary enthusiasts with its theme “Terra Incognita.” This year’s festival, funded by the State Government of Penang and produced by the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), promises to be an immersive exploration of uncharted territories and limitless imagination.
The “Terra Incognita” theme encourages attendees to embrace the unknown and find solace in the unfamiliar, offering a literary journey that uncovers new perspectives and ventures into unexplored horizons. With main sites like Loft29 at Gat Lebuh Gereja and Mano Plus at Beach Street, George Town, serving as vibrant hubs for the festival, literary enthusiasts can look forward to a diverse lineup of 35 writers from 13 countries and counting.
Under the direction of Ms Pauline Fan and the curation of Ms Adriana Nordin Manan, along with two other curators for the Tamil and Chinese panels, GTLF2023 has curated an impressive roster of renowned Malaysian and international guests. Distinguished figures such as Prof Lim Swee Tin, Saras Manickam, and Shih-Li Kow will grace the festival alongside international authors like Geoff Dyer, Veeraporn Nitiprapha, Uthis Haemamool, Michelle de Kretser, Maung Day, Yuvan Chandrasekar, Wu Ming-yi, and Janet Steele.
With a plethora of engaging programs including one-on-one conversations, panel discussions, readings, book launches, exhibitions, and screenings, GTLF2023 ensures a captivating and immersive literary experience for all attendees. The festival will also produce the Muara anthology, featuring both local and international writers, edited by Wan Nor Azriq and Deborah Augustin in collaboration with the new publishing partner, Inisiatif Buku Darul Ehsan (IBDE).
Prominent Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya will return as the festival’s official bookstore for the fifth consecutive year, offering an extensive collection of titles by GTLF2023’s esteemed lineup of writers and speakers at their pop-up store in Loft29.
GTLF2023 expresses its gratitude to various partners, including the State Government of Penang, the Canada High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, the Taipei Economic Cultural Office in Malaysia (TECO), The Prestige Penang, Loft29, Mano Plus, and other cultural organizations and foreign embassies for their unwavering support and commitment to the festival’s vision. British Council Malaysia and Literature Across Frontiers are among the programming partners for this edition.
