Art & Bali opens today, September 12th as the island’s first international art fair, transforming Nuanu Creative City into a stage for contemporary art. With 17 galleries, more than 150 artists, and over 50 programs, the fair marks a turning point for Bali as a cultural hub in Southeast Asia—one where ancestral memory and digital futures meet.

For Lev Kroll, CEO of Nuanu Creative City, the fair is also a realization of the creative city’s founding principles: “Nuanu was built to be a place where creativity drives everyday life. It shows how Bali’s philosophy and spirit can speak to the world through art and culture”

At the heart of Art & Bali 2025 is the theme “Bridging Dichotomies” — a curatorial and conceptual framework that explores the intersections of opposites: tradition and modernity, nature and technology, human creativity and artificial intelligence. In a region where cultural heritage is inseparable from everyday life, this approach highlights Bali as a site of convergence, dialogue, and transformation.

“For me, Art & Bali is about rooting an international conversation in Bali. It’s about honoring the traditions that shape us here, while opening the door for new voices and encounters that can only happen when people truly meet.” said Kelsang Dolma, Director of Art & Bali.

Highlights of Art & Bali 2025

Booth Presentations by 17 Exhibitors

The inaugural edition of Art & Bali features an international roster of exhibitors and artists from Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Spain. From Santrian Art Gallery, celebrated for its dialogue between Balinese tradition and bold contemporary practice, to the Asia Pacific Print Club, advancing printmaking across the region, and Feb Gallery Tokyo, known for cross-cultural experimentation. Other participants include Art Agenda, Bagia Art Space, CONNEC ART, Dalam Seniman, Kotak: Art Collective, LAKU Art Space, Lucy Dream Art, N-CAS ISI BALI, Purga Artspace, RUANG//, Spacecraft Gallery, Superlative Gallery, Umah Seni Shibumi, Waworuntu Gallery and Morabito Art Villa.

Terra Nexus: A new media exhibition

Each edition of Art & Bali will be anchored by a curated exhibition. For its debut, curator Mona Liem presents Terra Nexus, a high-energy new media show featuring over 30 artists from Indonesia and abroad. From immersive installations to collaborations between digital artists and traditional carvers, the exhibition explores how art, ecology, and technology converge.

“This exhibition is a showcase of holistic expression. It is a stage where technology and science dance together with art to spark innovation rooted in local cultural context,” said Mona Liem.

Terra Nexus Artists include Alodia Yap, Awang Behartawan, Budi Ubrux, Dadi Setiyadi, Dhanny "danot" Sanjaya, Dr. Justyna Gorowska, Goenawan Mohamad (GM), Heri Dono, Iroha Ozaki, Ivan Sagita, Jana Schafroth, MIVUBI, Mukhamad Aji Prasetyo, Nasirun, Notanlab, Nus Salomo, Popomangun, Rakhmi Fitriani (Lunang Lembayung), Roger Ng Wei Lun, Satya Cipta, Sekar Puti Sidhiawati, Tulola Jewelry (by Sri Luce-Rusna, Happy Salma and Franka Makarim), Utami A. Ishii, Valerio Vincenzo, Widi Pangestu, Wisnu Ajitama, and Yessiow, along with the J+ Art Awards Selected Participants — Geddi Jaddi Membummi, I Made Teler, and Susur Galur Collective.

Heri Dono’s Trokomod unveiling

For the first time in Bali, audiences will encounter Trokomod, Heri Dono’s monumental 7.5-meter installation first unveiled at the 2015 Venice Biennale. A hybrid of Trojan Horse and Komodo dragon, the work is both fantastical and political, a vessel for Indonesia’s voice on the global stage. Its unveiling at Nuanu, accompanied by a site-specific performance from Bali-based collective Kitapoleng, is one of the fair’s defining moments.

THK Tower — Phase II Launch

Designed by Arthur Mamou-Mani with Balinese artist Chiko Wirahadi, THK Tower is Bali’s largest art installation made entirely of repurposed materials. Its new phase, launched during the fair, invites visitors to project their wishes and emotions into the structure, creating a permanent library of voices. Realized with J+ Art Award winner Geddi Jaddi Membummi and international artists Maksim Ha and Slava Ha, the tower becomes a breathing, interactive work of art.

The Art Collector’s Pass

In a groundbreaking initiative, Nuanu Real Estate introduces the Art Collector’s Pass, gifting homeowners USD 2,000 in art credit, curatorial guidance, and VIP access to cultural events. The initiative underscores Nuanu’s commitment to building a community where art is not only collected, but lived with every day.

Site-Specific Performances and Programs

Performance is central to the fair’s spirit. Highlights include Kitapoleng’s response to Heri Dono’s Trokomod, two new shows by Mei Tamazawa at the Labyrinth Dome, and Bumi Bajra’s performance at the vernissage. The program continues with Dadi Setiyadi’s Golden Leaf charity auction, the After Dark Series by Bali-based artists Graung, Kadapat, and Bali Motion Club, and participatory performances by Temu Gerak and Tanaman Liar, weaving sound, movement, and landscape.

A New Chapter for Bali

Art & Bali signals the beginning of a different kind of fair—one built with care for people and place. From sustainable booth design to direct support for the Nuanu Social Fund, responsibility is embedded in its foundation. More than a marketplace, it is a meeting ground where art strengthens community and amplifies the conversations shaping Bali’s place in the global art world.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nuanu Creative City

Nuanu Creative City, together with the Bali and Nusa Tenggara Environmental Control Center / Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia, officially handed over support in the form of a plastic press and shredder machine to the local community. This initiative represents a concrete step to strengthen sustainable plastic waste management in Bali. The support is expected to reinforce collaboration among government, communities, and the private sector in creating an effective and environmentally friendly waste management system.

“Waste management requires a collective effort,” said Ida Ayu Astari Prada, Brand & Communications Director of Nuanu Creative City. “From our experience implementing waste management at Nuanu, we learned that as the primary source, it is we who must first separate waste before it is transported to the temporary disposal site (TPS). That way, when the waste arrives at the TPS, the sorting process between what is still valuable and what is not can be carried out more effectively. We hope this training can be applied not only in Bali but also throughout Indonesia, beginning with the people of Tabanan as the leading example.”

This initiative is part of Nuanu’s commitment to contribute to environmental preservation and develop innovative community-based solutions. Through the Nuanu Social Fund (NSF) as facilitator, the handover goes beyond simply providing equipment; it also serves as a means of education and empowerment. Communities will receive regular training on how to operate and maintain the machines and will be encouraged to create products of value. The machines have been installed at the TPS 3R in Belalang Village, which serves 863 households, 180 businesses, and 5 Banjars—processing at least 450 kg of plastic waste per day.

“Waste management is not only the responsibility of the government but also requires active involvement from all levels of society. With proper facilities and cross-sector collaboration, we can create a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations,” said Ni Nyoman Santi in her remarks.

In addition, Nuanu also invited elementary school students to witness the handover and receive environmental awareness education directly from the head of Pusdalub Nustra. The presence of the children symbolized the importance of instilling environmental awareness from an early age.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nuanu Creative City

After five years of planning, compliance and collaboration with the local community, Nuanu Creative City has completed the first phase of its development and officially opened its doors. Spanning 44 hectares along the southwest coast of Tabanan, the city now opens its doors not only as a place to visit but as a place to stay, play and live. Nuanu is envisioned as a living ecosystem where cultural spaces, food sanctuaries, and natural landscapes coexist, a home for creatives, changemakers and the wider public.

“Our journey started with us falling in love with Bali and humble beginnings,” said Lev Kroll, CEO of Nuanu Creative City. “A few years later, Nuanu reached another milestone of phase one completion, officially inviting guests to visit for the first time ever. We are proud to say that visiting Nuanu for a day allows you to learn and enjoy things Nuanu is about – nature, art & culture and other curiosities. On behalf of Nuanu, I would like to offer my gratitude to the government of Bali who constantly support Nuanu’s journey and growth since beginning, creating impact for the Tabanan community and Bali as a creative epicenter in Southeast Asia.”

Since opening to visitors in 2023, Nuanu has been conceptualising a business model that goes beyond profit, one that creates a stronghold of fairly distributed wealth and sustained support for the community. Central to this vision is the introduction of the Nuanu Social Fund (NSF), designed to reinvest resources into cultural, social, and environmental initiatives that directly benefit Bali and its communities. That same year marked several milestones: Tabanan’s first international school began operations within the creative city - ProEd Global Nuanu, Earth Sentinels by South African artist Daniel Popper became its first landmark artwork, and the Aurora Media Park masterplan was introduced — a 5,000m2 riverside jungle path of eight interactive installations designed with the support of Nuanu’s AI, Aurora.

The momentum continued in 2024, when Nuanu Real Estate made history by selling its first residential project of 40 neo-luxury villas in one day, setting a new standard for conscious living in Bali. That same year, Nuanu introduced Luna Beach Club, a nine-venue cliffside entertainment sanctuary that redefined Bali’s nightlife and cultural scene. At its heart stands the THK Tower, an AI-hybrid architectural artwork by Arthur Mamou-Mani dedicated to the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana.

“Our Bali is the core inspiration for Nuanu. The art & culture, creativity, and warmness, all can be felt throughout the creative city that we built together with local community, government, and investors who shared the same value,” said Ida Ayu Astari Prada, Director of Brand and Communications. “Nuanu is a community for communities, strengthened by the communal strength, just like how us Balinese live in daily life.”

Wellness also came to the fore with the opening of Lumeira, a social wellness complex featuring the world’s largest wood-fired dome sauna and its signature Parenia treatment. On the cultural front, Suara Festival gathered local and international artists in an inclusive celebration that cemented Nuanu’s role in Bali’s art and culture calendar. Meanwhile, the Labyrinth Collective expanded with Labyrinth Art Gallery and Indonesia's first 360 dome experience, The Dome, both multidisciplinary spaces where art, architecture, technology and performance converge. 2024 also marked the launch of the Magic Garden, a living sanctuary dedicated to restoring local biodiversity. At its heart is a butterfly breeding program, offering guests the chance to experience conservation first-hand through an immersive edutainment journey.

By 2025, Nuanu’s vision of becoming a creative epicenter in Southeast Asia began to solidify. The year opened with the launch of its integrated ticketing system, marking its readiness to welcome a broader audience. Soon after came The Red Tent, a women-only, not-for-profit space donated by Nuanu and governed independently by its members, with the commitment that at least one advisor will always be a Balinese woman. Performing arts flourished: SOL Studio opened as a contemporary dance hub, while Bali Mystic reimagined the traditional Kecak dance with projection technology, and Kecak in Nuanu brought a community performance to a bamboo amphitheater built with the Kecak Tabanan collective. To complete its ecosystem, Nuanu welcomed its first overnight guests with OSHOM Bali, a boutique hotel of 11 sea-view suites and 8 treehouses in a mangrove forest, alongside Nuanu Suites & Accommodations, which introduced three experimental hospitality formats designed to challenge conventional travel experiences.

2025 also welcomed Bali’s first international photography festival, FOTO Bali Festival, which will now be held annually to nurture the medium and its practitioners. Looking ahead, the year will close with another landmark moment for the arts: Bali’s first international art fair of its kind, Art & Bali, in September. As part of this ongoing commitment to culture, Nuanu also announced the launch of the Nuanu Future Talks series beginning in October 2025. The program will bring together developers, local communities, and government bodies in open dialogue to ensure Bali’s development remains solution-driven, transparent, and rooted in shared responsibility.

Alongside these milestones, Suara Festival returned with its inclusive mix of music and art, while a new culinary-arts venue is set to open before year’s end, a journey through Indonesia told through cuisine and creativity.

Each year of Nuanu’s journey proves its growing relevance and deep cultural integration, with art, education, wellness, and performance shaping a city that feels both global and rooted in Bali. At its core, Nuanu places social and environmental good at the center of a valid business model, showing how investment, culture, and community can thrive together sustainably.

“On behalf of the Provincial Government of Bali, I extend my respectful greetings and congratulations on the successful implementation of the Grand Opening of Nuanu Phase 1. This event reflects our shared commitment to advancing Bali’s tourism while preserving nature, culture, and the welfare of the Balinese people. It is expected to become a cultural milestone and a driver of Bali’s creative economy,” said I Nyoman Giri Prasta, Vice Governor of Bali, represented by Dr. I Wayan Ekadina, S.E., M.Si., Expert Staff to the Governor of Bali in the Field of Economics and Finance.

What’s next is even more exciting. Acadia, a Moroccan-inspired culinary hub set to open in 2026, is envisioned to become one of the top five food destinations in Southeast Asia. Desa Jiwa, Nuanu’s fashion village, will showcase creativity with Bali’s signature architectural touch. After two years of masterplanning and design, the Eugene Museum, led by renowned artist Eugene Kangawa, will also open its doors in 2026.

Social Impact

Through the Nuanu Social Fund (NSF), more than Rp4.1 billion has been distributed between 2023–2025 to empower communities. With over 4,974 participants in social events, 2,245 beneficiaries of social impact programs, and 893 individuals receiving direct support, NSF continues to make a lasting difference. In parallel, the Nuanu Junior Angels Foundation focuses on education through its flagship, Kids Academy, which provides free non-formal learning for over 300 children in Desa Beraban and Desa Pandak Gede, offering art & craft, English, mathematics, and entrepreneurial skills to nurture future changemakers.

Environmental Impact

Nuanu is bringing back the habitat with remarkable progress in ecological restoration. So far, the community has achieved a 95% recycling rate, released over 12,000 butterflies, planted 114,700 floras, and relocated 597 big trees. With 87.5 tonnes of compost produced and repurposed to nourish plants that support beneficial insects, alongside the conservation of 3,300 orchids, Nuanu is building a greener and more resilient ecosystem.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nuanu Creative City