Festival crowd and literature ambience

About Us

Welcome to OALF 2026

where the world comes together as one family!

Celebrating a Decade of Cultural Excellence

The Odisha Art & Literature Festival (OALF) 2025 marks a momentous milestone as we celebrate our 10th edition—a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering cultural dialogue and artistic exchange. What began as a regional initiative has evolved into an internationally acclaimed platform that bridges local heritage with global perspectives.

OALF stands apart through its deeply community-based approach, creating an inclusive ecosystem where voices from every stratum of society find expression and resonance. We’ve become everyone’s place for cultural exchange—a space where established luminaries engage alongside emerging talents, and where academic discourse meets grassroots creativity.

This community-centric philosophy has redefined the literary festival as a nurturing ground for cultural democracy, where every participant is both audience and contributor to the shared narrative of human expression.

Books and conversations

Our Setting & Commitment

Our Setting

OALF takes place annually in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha—a historically majestic, peace-loving, and serene state situated on India’s eastern coast. This setting provides the perfect backdrop for our festival, where ancient wisdom meets contemporary discourse.

Our Commitment

OALF 2025 continues our mission to create meaningful dialogue between traditions and innovations, local and global perspectives, established voices and emerging talents.

We invite you to join us in this celebration of human creativity and cultural exchange—a festival where every story matters, every voice is heard, and every culture is celebrated. Welcome to OALF 2025—where the world comes together as one family.

Stage lights and audience

A Decade of Transformation

Over the past ten years, OALF has transformed from a cherished regional gathering into an epicenter of international cultural exchange. Our global outreach has successfully integrated local culture and literary arts into the worldwide cultural landscape, positioning Odisha as a vital hub for cross-cultural dialogue.

The 2025 edition represents our most ambitious undertaking yet, featuring unprecedented global outreach and diversity. With increased local involvement across all social layers, we have evolved into a truly intercultural and international forum for dialogue and exchange about subjects that matter to today’s world.

The 2025 Edition

This landmark 10th edition features an extraordinary amalgamation of international and local voices, transforming the festival into a unique cultural destination. For the first time, our programme is curated by three globally acclaimed curators, Sabin Iqbal (UAE), Pramudith D Rupasinghe (Belgium) MK Ajay (Hong Kong), ensuring a truly diverse and enriching experience.

The festival remains committed to taking literature and culture to the next higher level, shunning all forms of compartmentalisation and taking every recourse to propagate our rich cultural legacy whilst embracing the voices and visions of our global community.