A Month-Long Celebration of Ideas, Identity, and Imagination Across Five Cities
The Jaipur Literature Festival USA 2025 wrapped up after an inspiring month-long celebration of books, creativity, and cross-cultural connection across Houston, New York, Colorado, Seattle, and North Carolina. What began as a festival of words became a movement of ideas—bringing together some of the world’s most powerful voices in a dialogue that celebrated the timeless art of storytelling.
This year’s festival featured an exceptional constellation of writers and artists including Andrew Sean Greer, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Fara Dabhoiwala, John Vaillant, Kiran Desai, Marcus du Sautoy, Pardis Mahdavi, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Shekhar Kapur, among many others. Each city offered a unique window into the worlds of literature, identity, art, and imagination.
In New York, Linda Hess paid a lyrical tribute to the poetry of the 14th-century philosopher Kabir, while a spirited exchange between filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and author Amish Tripathi explored the intersections of cinema and mythology. At other sessions, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Neal Katyal, and Meenakshi Ahamed delved into the Indian-American experience through reflections on identity and belonging. In Seattle, Reza Aslan, Kiran Desai, and Viet Thanh Nguyen discussed migration and the existence of diasporic communities, while in North Carolina, celebrity chefs Maneet Chauhan and Meherwan Irani, joined by actor-writer Kal Penn, intertwined the worlds of food and storytelling. Meanwhile in Colorado, Marcus du Sautoy examined the connection between mathematics and creativity, as Cat Bohannon explored gender and representation in art and literature.
Bringing the Spirit of JLF to America
The JLF USA 2025 editions were made possible through close collaboration with cultural partners and institutions across five cities, each lending its own local flavor and community energy.
- JLF Houston (Sept 5–7) was presented with the Consulate General of India, Houston, Asia Society Texas, and Inprint, hosted at four landmark venues—The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Rothko Chapel, Asia Society Texas, and the Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston.
- JLF New York (Sept 8–10) was held in association with the Consulate General of India, New York, across The Center for Fiction, Asia Society, and The National Arts Club.
- JLF Colorado (Sept 13–14) came alive in collaboration with the Boulder Public Library, bringing literary conversation to the foothills of the Rockies.
- JLF Seattle (Sept 18–21) partnered with the Consulate General of India, Seattle, and unfolded across Viya Contemporary, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and Town Hall Seattle.
- The journey concluded in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Sept 26–28) with JLF North Carolina, presented with UNC’s Carolina Asia Center, Department of Music, Institute for the Arts and Humanities, and the Chapel Hill Public Library.
Each stop on this literary voyage echoed the same message — that stories are not confined by geography, and that the exchange of ideas remains one of humanity’s most powerful bonds.
Stories that Bridge Worlds
“At JLF USA 2025, we witnessed stories transcend borders and ideas spark across cultures,” said Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts. “From poetry to politics, cuisine to cinema, we built a tapestry of conversations that reflect the complexity and beauty of our shared human experience. Each city added its own voice to the chorus, reminding us that literature is not just a mirror to society—it’s a bridge between worlds.”
Through every reading, performance, and dialogue, the festival reaffirmed its founding vision—to celebrate diversity of thought and bridge cultures through literature and the arts. The 2025 editions were more than a series of events; they were a collective reflection on the human spirit, expressed through the power of words and imagination.
A Global Festival with a Digital Heartbeat
The digital footprint of JLF USA 2025 reflected its growing international resonance, reaching over 2.5 million people across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, and generating more than 4.5 million impressions throughout the five-city journey. The festival’s online presence carried its conversations far beyond physical venues, connecting readers, thinkers, and dreamers around the world.
As the U.S. editions continue to expand in reach and influence, JLF USA remains a cornerstone of the Jaipur Literature Festival’s global presence. Building on the momentum of 2025, Teamwork Arts will return next year with a fresh season of cross-cultural programming—continuing to shape a world where literature, ideas, and imagination know no borders.
