ENCOUNTER

For whom, and for what, do we gather today?

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6Festival days
05Programs
115Writers / works
08FOCUS readings

What is APM

Playwriting as the central event

Asian Playwrights Meeting (APM) is an international gathering dedicated to playwrights and contemporary writing practices in Asia. Initiated in Tokyo in 2009 and followed by editions in Melbourne (2011) and Yogyakarta (2019), APM 2026 returns to Yogyakarta to renew its commitment to playwriting as the central event.

In a world shaped by polarization, unequal access, and shifting cultural power, APM 2026 asks: for whom, and for what, do we gather today?

Yogyakarta · 26–31 July 2026

Schedule

Festival week

26–31 July 2026

Week of 26 July

Sun → Fri
Opening FOCUS FORUM PANORAMA Special Closing

Sunday, 26 July 2026

Opening day

    P r o g r a m s

    Five ways to encounter

    05 total
    S/001 FOCUS 8 full dramatic readings · 27–31 Jul · IFI Yogyakarta S/002 PANORAMA Archive exhibition · 115 writers / works · Galerie IFI S/003 FORUM 15 sessions · daily 10:00–13:00 · Lamora Sagan S/004 SPECIAL PRESENTATION 3 works · 26, 30, 31 Jul · PSBK & IFI S/005 B-SIDE Unofficial ticketed route · merch & packages

    Official programs register via Tally. B-SIDE packages, performances, and merch are sold on Tiketmart — every Register / Buy action opens the partner site in a new tab.

    FOCUS

    Urgency · Dramatic reading · Shared questions

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    FOCUS is the central program of APM 2026. It foregrounds playwriting as an urgent, situated practice. The primary format is full dramatic readings — each text heard in its entirety and collectively reflected upon. One shared keyword: ENCOUNTER.

    FOCUS week

    Mon → Fri · 27–31 Jul
    Afternoon reading Evening reading IFI Yogyakarta

    Monday, 27 July 2026

    2 readings · IFI Yogyakarta

      PANORAMA

      Archive exhibition

      115 writers / works

      Rather than presenting a selection of the “best” plays, PANORAMA maps play submissions across Asia and the Asia-Pacific — through themes, languages, opening lines, and archival materials.

      26–31 Jul · Galerie IFI Yogyakarta

      FORUM

      15 exchanges

      Browse by interest

      A process-oriented program for exchanging methods and questions around contemporary playwriting — panels, presentations, studio visits, and moderated exchanges.

      27–31 Jul 10:00–13:00 daily Lamora Sagan

      Talks & methods

      Curatorial frames and artistic practice

      • F / 01 Curatorial Talks
      • F / 02 From New Voices to New Stages Prologue Center & TIPRF
      • F / 03 NOC, Kalam Puan, & Jejak Lakon
      • F / 04 Playwriting Ecosystem Roundtable Presented by BIPAM
      • F / 05 Coming out of My Skin JB Phou & Sasapin Sriwanij
      • F / 06 New Waves of Playwriting from China Han Jing
      • F / 07 No Stage Without a Page Independent publishing · Indonesia
      • F / 08 Biotope Presentation 1 Co-program with SPAC
      • F / 09 Kalabuku Book Launch of Singapore Play
      • F / 10 Biotope Presentation 2 Co-program with SPAC
      • F / 11 Tomoyuki Arai Playwriting and contemporary performing arts today
      • F / 12 Contemporary Asian Australian Performance Jasper & Pratha
      • F / 13 South Korea Playwriting Ecosystem Youngjoo Choi / ARKO
      • F / 14 Initiatives from Indonesia Pendek, BPF, Minikita, Jakarta Directors Club
      • F / 15 Work in Progress Presentation from Indonesia

      SPECIAL PRESENTATION

      Writing that demands embodiment

      3 works

      Special presentations

      26 · 30 · 31 Jul
      • Sun 26 Jul
        19:30–21:30
        Opening · PSBK
        Surat ke Kawan Charlene Rajendran
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      • Thu 30 Jul
        19:30–21:30
        Special · IFI Yogyakarta
        Tuah — Reading Version Mark Teh
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      • Fri 31 Jul
        19:30–21:30
        Closing · PSBK
        The Ego and His Loss dracom
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      Unofficial · Ticketed

      B-SIDE

      Parallel encounters

      Buy Package on Tiketmart ↗

      Developed with Irfanuddin Ghozali and Studio Malya. A companion route outside the official APM program — intimate, limited, and collectible. Prices below are display copy only; every Buy action opens the third-party platform.

      Merchandise

      Program Book Rp150k · Buy ↗
      Tote Bag Rp150k · Buy ↗
      APM T-shirt Rp150k · Buy ↗

      Perform / Packages

      Crossing Sudirman Bridge — Theatre Walkthrough Rp200k · Buy ↗
      Vredeburg Fort Walking Tour — YMTML (2025) Rp250k · Buy ↗
      Paket APM: Book + Tote + T-Shirt + 2 B-SIDE programs Rp800k · Buy ↗

      Venues

      Where we gather

      V / 01

      Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja (PSBK)

      Dusun Kembaran, Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul, DIY 55183

      Opening, Closing & Special Presentation · 26 Jul & 31 Jul · 19:00–22:00

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      V / 02

      IFI Yogyakarta — Institut Français Indonesia

      Jl. Sagan No.3, Terban, Gondokusuman, Kota Yogyakarta, DIY 55223

      FOCUS + PANORAMA Exhibition · PANORAMA daily 10:00–22:00

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      V / 03

      Lamora Sagan (Ex H-Boutique)

      Jl. Prof. Dr. Ir. Herman Johannes No.1, Terban, Gondokusuman, Kota Yogyakarta

      FORUM · 27–30 Jul · daily 10:00–13:00

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      Organizer

      IDRF

      Indonesia Dramatic Reading Festival (IDRF) is a platform dedicated to public readings of new Indonesian plays and foreign works translated into Bahasa Indonesia. Since 2010, IDRF has introduced plays, supported playwrights, and created a bridge between writing, reading, and performance communities.

      70+ plays · 500+ performers · APM Yogyakarta initiated 2019

      Supporters / Co-producing

      Japan Foundation MTN PSBK

      Partners

      IFI Sakatoya SPAC Biotope Turning World Melbourne Precog BIPAM Prologue Center Taipei Virgin Lab Fest Manila CAACPA Encounter Theater Perth Arts Council Korea Creative Australia