Bali Art Festival Concludes with Record Visitors, Economic Boost

Bali's Governor Wayan Koster officially closed the 48th Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB) on Saturday night, marking a successful month-long celebration of art and culture. The festival drew a record 1.82 million visitors, a notable increase from the previous year's 1.6 million.

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The visitors, not yet including tonight or just until this afternoon, reached more than 1.8 million people, last year 1.6 million, so an increase of more than 200,000.

The theme for PKB 2026 was 'Atma Kerthi: Jiwa Siddha Parishudha,' and it showcased a surge in both participation and artistic output. A total of 673 art institutions and groups presented their work, up from 517 the year before. The festival featured 20,929 artists and displayed 879 artworks, a significant rise from 2025's 592.

Beyond the artistic achievements, PKB 2026 also stimulated the local economy. Governor Koster reported that 75 local UMKM businesses generated approximately 5 billion rupiah in transactions, while 124 craft businesses recorded 11.3 billion rupiah in turnover. The festival also attracted 5,743 foreign tourists, a 137.7% increase from the previous year.

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The artworks displayed this year reached 879 works, a big increase compared to 2025, 592, so the artworks are extraordinary.

Following PKB, Bali will host the Festival Seni Bali Jani (FSBJ) 2026, focusing on more modern artistic expressions. Governor Koster expressed hope that these events will continue to preserve Bali's artistic ecosystem and that PKB 2027 will be even more successful.

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So besides witnessing art, we are also encouraging the growth of IKM, this is extraordinary, we will close PKB soon but we will continue with the Bali Jani Art Festival.