The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival is set to commence its third edition from February 13 to 15, 2026, as the ‘Festival on Beira’ at Cinnamon Lakeside. The event will feature over 45 speakers across more than 30 sessions, showcasing both international and local literary talents. Prominent figures from Bollywood, including Shabana Azmi, Kalki Koechlin, and Rahul Bose, will grace the stage in Sri Lanka alongside internationally acclaimed authors such as Alice Albinia, Julia Quinn of Bridgerton fame, Edith Hall, and Helen Macdonald. Celebrated local authors like Ashok Ferrey and Shyam Selvadurai will also be part of this remarkable lineup.
This edition introduces a more focused ‘Experience CLAF,’ transforming the festival area into an immersive space rich with creativity and community, accessible to the public for free. Set against the picturesque Beira Lake, visitors can enjoy various food and beverage pop-ups, explore Sri Lankan handcrafted artisan treasures at the artisan market, browse festival merchandise, and access dedicated hydration stations and a women’s empowerment space.
This year’s programming sees the addition of a more curated Art Festival. In collaboration with the John Keells Foundation, the Art Exhibit is themed ‘The Resilient Isle’ and curated by Kasun Jayamanne, featuring works from over 15 artists, open to the public at no charge. The festival will also present “Nicolas Bouvier in Ceylon: 70 Years Later,” an immersive photo exhibition that showcases Bouvier’s rare photographs from the Fonds Bouvier / Musée de l’Elysée Lausanne, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland.
The Children’s Festival, under the theme ‘Create. Play. Grow,’ offers over 15 curated workshops over three days for children aged 4-16 years. Activities range from puppetry to creative workshops, book readings to music and theatre, ensuring there is something for every child.
The Performing Arts segment includes music, theatre, and film. An intensive 10-day theatre workshop by the Emma Rice Company, supported by the British Council, began earlier in February. Theatre enthusiasts can join festival panels this week as part of the workshop experience. The festival will also feature a dynamic jazz concert by the renowned Quintetto Denner from Italy, supported by the Embassy of Italy, and screen the documentary ‘Pettah,’ directed by Sulochana Peiris and supported by ICES, exploring the role of minority communities in Sri Lanka’s busiest commercial hub.
In line with the festival’s commitment to nurturing youth, all students can attend the festival with free student passes. A focused volunteer program is already underway, involving over 50 young participants gaining hands-on festival experience during the planning and execution phases.
Passes for literary sessions, the Children’s Festival, and special events can be purchased at www.ceylonliteraryfestival.com and will also be available at the festival gate.
The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival is more than a celebration of creativity; it stands as a testament to Sri Lanka’s resilience, cultural richness, and dynamic spirit. The festival is supported by distinguished partners, with HSBC as the title partner and Cinnamon Lakeside as the venue and hospitality partner. Key partners include the Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust, John Keells Foundation, Synamon Global, and the British Council as the knowledge partner alongside Goethe-Institut. Cultural collaborations are supported by the Embassy of Italy in Colombo and the Embassy of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and Maldives. Additional support comes from Sarasavi, Clouds by SOZO, Acorn Group, Teardrop Hotels, and merchandise partner Arienti, with invaluable support from Wijeya Newspapers, Daily FT, Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Hi!! Online, Hi! Magazine, Hi! and Hardtalk.
