The 13th edition of the George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) returns this November 23 – 26 with the theme “Terra Incognita”. GTLF is funded by the State Government of Penang and is produced by Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) for the eighth (8th) consecutive year.

During the press conference, Yeoh Soon Hin, the Penang State Exco for Tourism Development, Heritage, Culture and Arts, and Ashwin Gunasekeran, PCEB's CEO, shared their excitement about the upcoming festival and its significant contribution to the literary world.

Rooted in the vast realm of imagination, the "Terra Incognita" theme invites attendees to embrace the unknown and find comfort in the unfamiliar. GTLF2023 embarks on a literary exploration of uncharted territories, unveiling new perspectives and casting our gaze towards unexplored horizons.

The festival's main sites, including Loft29 at Gat Lebuh Gereja and Mano Plus at Beach Street, George Town, will serve as vibrant hubs for literary enthusiasts. The festival has thus far a line-up of 35 writers from 13 countries and counting. Detailed program information will be released as the festival draws nearer.
This edition will be directed by Ms Pauline Fan and curated by Ms Adriana Nordin Manan, both reputable figures in the Malaysian literary community. The curatorial team includes two other curators for the Tamil and Chinese panels. These panels will be curated by M.Navin, a notable Malaysian Tamil writer and Dr Florence Kuek of Universiti Malaya, specializing in Chinese literature and literary criticism.

The festival is honoured to host distinguished Malaysian guests including Prof Lim Swee Tin, who was just awarded the 2023 National Poet Award, Saras Manickam winner of the 2019 Commonwealth Short Story Contest (Asia) and Shih-Li Kow, winner of Prix du Premier Roman Etranger.

Additionally, GTLF2023 proudly welcomes renowned international figures, including English novelist, Geoff Dyer, acclaimed Thai authors as well as S.E.A. Write Award winners Veeraporn Nitiprapha and Uthis Haemamool, 2-time Miles Franklin Literary Award winner, Michelle de Kretser, multi-faceted Burmese artist and poet, Maung Day, Tamil writer and poet Yuvan Chandrasekar, multidisciplinary Taiwanese artist, author Wu Ming-yi and American Professor of Journalism and International Affairs, Janet Steele.

With an array of engaging programs, including one-on-one conversations, panel discussions, readings, book launches, exhibitions, and screenings, GTLF2023 promises an immersive literary experience for all attendees. GTLF continues to produce Muara an anthology featuring both local and international writers. This year’s anthology will be edited by Wan Nor Azriq and Deborah Augustin with a new publishing partner, Inisiatif Buku Darul Ehsan (IBDE). Muara will feature established and rising writers from Malaysia, the region, and the world.
Prominent Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya returns as the festival’s official bookstore for the fifth consecutive year. Kinokuniya will offer an extensive collection of titles by GTLF2023's esteemed line-up of writers and speakers at their pop-up store in Loft29 from November 23 to 26.

GTLF2023 expresses its sincere gratitude to 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 organisations and foreign embassies for their unwavering support and commitment to GTLF's vision. Programming partners for this edition include British Council Malaysia and Literature Across Frontiers.

GTLF remains free for all members of the public.