Malaysia’s biggest free-for-all arts festival is back!
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Loading... - Adika Lestari
- 02 May 2023
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The Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF) is finally making a comeback after five long years.
This year’s edition of Malaysia’s biggest free-for-all arts festival — themed “Shout it Out: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow” — kicked off last month and will end in August.
Presented by Yayasan Sime Darby and The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), this fourth edition of the YSDAF is special as it is a comeback edition.
After YSDAF 2018, works began immediately for the next edition. However, the pandemic forced the planned launch of the festival in February 2020 to be put on hold. This year, YSDAF 2023 is filling the void by bouncing back stronger than ever.
A highlight of the local arts calendar since 2014, the biennial festival has brought the arts to 50,000 festival-goers, and created 2,600 job opportunities for artistes and arts workers.
YSDAF 2023 is an invitation to “Shout It Out” on issues that are dear to our hearts – be it the arts, community, health, education or environment – and stake a claim in our collective future.
Yayasan Sime Darby chairman Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar said aside from celebrating the arts, this festival was and will continue to be a great representation and platform for
inclusivity and diversity of our society via our local art scene.
“We look forward to unveiling meaningful exhibitions, performances and showcases that will reach a wider audience through easy accessibility and greater collaboration of the arts industry.”
YSDAF 2023 features an all-Malaysian contingent, from fresh young talents working hand in hand with experienced personalities, to young producers trained by seasoned producers. Lifting each other up, the festival aims at healing the Malaysian arts industry from the talent-drain crisis we face.
Klpac executive producer and co-founder Dato’ Faridah Merican said this year’s festival promises a wonderful celebration for everyone in the Malaysian family.
“We have almost 350 showcases and activities planned in 19 pocket locations around klpac. It involves approximately 1,000 artistes and crew and is expected to attract at least 18,000 festival goers.
“Nowhere else will you be able to sample such a wide variety of what the local arts scene can offer from the traditional to the contemporary, dance to theatre, mainstream to the experimental. The festival also includes hands-on workshops, demonstrations, installations, screenings and more, spread over 48 hours,” she added.
YSDAF 2023 kicked off six months of activities with an open call for project ideas via Pitch Start.
Pitch Start is a platform for artistes and art groups to submit their creative and original ideas, in any language or genre, for a chance to win a grant up to RM20,000 and to premiere the work at the festival finale. Read More…
