What is APM
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
P r o g r a m s
FOCUS
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.
PANORAMA
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
A process-oriented program for exchanging methods and questions around contemporary playwriting — panels, presentations, studio visits, and moderated exchanges. Click a day for the full session lineup.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
B-SIDE
Unofficial Program of Asian Playwrights Meeting — a companion route outside the official APM lineup. Intimate, limited, and ticketed via Tiketmart.
By Teater Ruang Terbuka Hijau
Drawing on Jembatan Gondolayu, a modern Indonesian play written by Nasjah Djamin in 1957, Crossing Sudirman Bridge revisits Yogyakarta during its transition after it ceased to serve as the capital of the Republic of Indonesia. Set at Gondolayu Bridge, the play brings together seven characters whose lives intersect through poverty, marginalization, hope, and the possibility of choosing life.
Bahasa Indonesia: Yang Menyelinap Tak Mau Lesap / YMTML (2025)
By Studio Malya, Rifki Akbar Pratama, and Reza Kutjh
Performance duration: ± 45–60 mins (this performance involves walking) + ± 30 mins Game Master session.
Audience management: This work requires the audience to read the provided guidebook and explore specific places. Each audience member will experience the performance individually, with a 3–5 minute interval between participants. The Game Master session will take place after all audience members complete the route.
Venues
Dusun Kembaran, Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul, DIY 55183
Opening, Closing & Special Presentation · 26 Jul & 31 Jul · 19:00–22:00
Jl. Sagan No.3, Terban, Gondokusuman, Kota Yogyakarta, DIY 55223
FOCUS + PANORAMA Exhibition · PANORAMA daily 10:00–22:00
Jl. Prof. Dr. Ir. Herman Johannes No.1, Terban, Gondokusuman, Kota Yogyakarta
FORUM · 27–30 Jul · daily 10:00–13:00
Organizer
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
APM Team
