The South Asian Literature and Art (SALA) Festival returns in late September, giving readers, audiences, art lovers, and movie fans in Northern California a reason to rejoice this fall.
For years this iconic festival celebrating the best of South Asian talent has offered a feast of riches for Bay Area art and literature fans and it’s now poised to do so again in its fifth year!
This year, the SALA committee has partnered with Stanford University’s Center for South Asian Studies to host a constellation of speakers from the South Asian diaspora representing literature, music, fiction, film, poetry, history, art and sculpture, health and wellness, and more, who will discuss their work, answer questions, and offer insights into the state and the future of their professions.
The roster includes thought leaders, writers, artists, and activists like Tarik Currimbhoy, Dr. Anjali Arondekar, Kausar Munir, Shehan Karunatilaka, Dr. Sharika Thiranagama, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, and Dr. Dinsha Mistree as panelists on thought-provoking forums about art, literature, cinema, food, journalism, poetry, social issues, and mental health.
This year’s theme ‘Plurality in Community’ explores caste, class, gender, and borders to understand how individuality and collectivity coexist or collide.
Keynote speakers will feature:
Imtiaz Ali, the celebrated Indian movie director, famous for movies like Jab We Met, Ahista Ahista, Laila Majnu, Jab Harry Met Sejal, Love Aaj Kal, and most recently, Amar Singh Chamkila.
Art curator, contemporary art historian, and activist Salima Hashmi
Author, activist, politician, public intellectual, and Indian MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor, whose fiction and non-fiction writings include The Great Indian Novel, Why I Am A Hindu, Ambedkar: A Life
Sri Lankan Booker Prize winner Shehan Karunatilaka
A one-of-a-kind authors panel called ‘Ink from the Island’ featuring Sri Lankan writers Shyam Selvadurai, Shehan Karunatilaka, and V. V. Ganeshananthan, with author and moderator Nayomi Munaweera.
Weekend Festivities
The festival weekend includes 22 panel discussions on thought-provoking topics, open-air poetry and book readings, and performances by local Bay Area artists. Between speakers open mic sessions give the diaspora’s newest talent opportunities to share the best recent work.
Local South Asian brands and artisans will offer original art, craft, and jewelry for sale, and an Art Exhibition will showcase contemporary South Asian Artists.
How to get to SALA 2024
When : September 28 th and 29th, | 11 am to 7 pm.
Where : Encina Commons, 615 Crothers Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Tickets : $90.00 for two days; $50 per day. Student discount available
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