Art things to do in Ubud
Ubud isn’t just a place to see art—it’s a place to live it. Here, art isn’t confined to galleries or museums; it spills into the streets, hums in the workshops, and dances in the hands of local artisans. Imagine wandering into a tucked-away studio, where a painter pauses mid-stroke to share the story behind their work, or stumbling upon a woodcarver, whose chisel transforms a block of teak into a masterpiece. Ubud’s art scene is community-based, intimate, and deeply personal, much like the spirit of the Ubud Open Studios event, where artists open their doors and invite you into their creative worlds. Here are a few suggestions for how to access Ubud’s amazing art scene year-round.
Ubud Story Walks: these story walks have strong roots in the art history of Ubud and are a perfect place to kick off an art journey in Ubud, exploring local artists, architecture, international influences and more.
Threads of Life: a place to get your hands on all the textile-making traditions of Bali and Indonesia. Natural dye, batik and ikat classes await. Also opportunities for longer residencies.
Museum visits: there’s an incredible range to choose from. We recommend ARMA, NEKA, Puri Lukisan and Setia Darma Puppet Museum.
Serayu Pottery: a pottery studio in the heart of Ubud with regular classes, including hand building and wheel throwing.
Devfto Printmaking: a huge range of printmaking workshops on demand, from cyanotype, to gumoil to linocut and more.
Exhibitions: the best roundup of current exhibitions can be found at the Seni di Bali Instagram.
Studios open to the public: there are quite a few studios that are open to the public year round. we recommend getting in touch to book a visit with Gaya Ceramic (their production facility tour is amazing), visiting Zanzibar Art House (art inspired by Australia, Indonesia and Africa), exploring Setia Cap Cili traditional fabric weaving studio, contacting Made Griyawan of Studio Gelombang or Made Palguna of Artcube Atelier to set up a visit of two senior contemporary Balinese artists who still remain accessible to the public.
