The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026, taking place from 13 to 15 February at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, promises to be one of those rare cultural moments that linger long after the last session ends. It is a gathering not only of writers, artists and thinkers, but of ideas, shared, challenged and celebrated in spaces where curiosity feels welcome.

The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026 is supported by several organizations through non-promotional CSR initiatives, including Clouds by SOZO and the Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust. International Distillers Limited contributes in a strictly neutral CSR capacity, providing logistical and resource support for the event without any brand promotion or product visibility.

The Festival celebrates Sri Lanka’s creative voice by showcasing literature, arts, and cultural talent from across the country. All supporting organizations participate solely in a philanthropic and educational role, ensuring that the focus remains on artistic expression and community engagement.

The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust brings to the Festival a deep and enduring commitment to nurturing literature and the arts as essential pillars of society. Its work is driven by the belief that creative spaces are not optional additions, but vital platforms that shape how communities think, feel and engage with the world around them.

Speaking on this collaboration, Indhu Selvaratnam, Director of SOZO Beverages and Trustee

of The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust, stated, “The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust is delighted to partner with the Ceylon Literary Festival for the second time. We are deeply committed to enriching Sri Lanka’s intellectual and cultural landscape and admire the festival’s evolution in embracing literature, art, music, and initiatives that nurture emerging local talent. These efforts align closely with the Trust’s mission to support creative expression, and we look forward to continuing our support as the festival strengthens Sri Lanka’s global cultural presence.”

Adding a complementary dimension to this partnership is Clouds by SOZO, Sri Lanka’s premium mountain spring water brand, whose ethos of purity, sustainability and thoughtful living aligns naturally with the spirit of the Festival. Sourced from a pristine spring in the Knuckles mountain range, Clouds represents a return to authenticity, an idea that resonates strongly within creative and cultural spaces.

Speaking on the partnership, Dushyantha De Silva, Founder of SOZO Beverages (Pvt) Ltd, said, “The arts invite us to slow down, to observe, and to think more deeply, and Clouds comes from that same place of intention. Supporting the HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival is about being part of a space where ideas flow freely and thoughtfully. It’s a privilege for us to align with a platform that values creativity, dialogue and conscious choices.”

The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival 2026 offers something increasingly rare: three uninterrupted days of ideas. Of language and imagination. Of conversations that do not require a screen to feel alive. It is a reminder of the power of gathering, of listening, discovering and engaging with perspectives that challenge and inspire.

As February approaches, the hope is simple: that more people choose to attend, to listen, and to support Sri Lankan creativity in all its forms. Because when a country invests in its writers and artists, it is not merely celebrating talent, it is shaping how it remembers, how it questions, and how it evolves.