WAK Festival 2026 Appreciation Dinner celebrates collaborators & partners

Distinguished guests posing for a group photo with creative collaborators, festival partners, sponsors, event supporters, marketing and media partners, staging & tech partners and venue partners. 

KUCHING, 6 November 2026: The 2026 WAK Festival held its Appreciation Dinner yesterday evening at the Grand Riverine Ballroom in Kuching, officially concluding another exhilarating month of arts, culture and lifestyle by bringing together creative collaborators, sponsors, corporate partners, venue partners, production teams and supporting agencies.

The evening was graced by Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Snowdan Lawan and his wife, Datin Melinda Claudia Bucking-Lawan, Consul-General of Indonesia in Sarawak, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Zulkifli, MTCP Deputy Permanent Secretary, Julin bin Alen, Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Dr. Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, STB Board Member, Tuan Haji Mohamad Taufik bin Abdul Ghani and Regional Director of Tourism Malaysia Sarawak, Rubiah Tul’adawiyah binti Hj Md Yusof, as well as core members of the WAK Festival team, including Founding Directors, Donald Tan and Marina Foo, Festival Manager, Brendan Chin and Operations Lead, Sonia Soen. 

“When we first started WAK in 2017, our vision was simple: to celebrate Sarawak’s abundant creative talent and provide a vibrant, accessible platform where our artists and creative practitioners could shine, showcase their work, reach wider audiences and gain the recognition they deserve,” said WAK Festival Founding Director, Donald Tan in his welcoming remarks.

(From left) Sonia Soen, Brendan Chin, Julin bin Alen, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Donald Tan, Datin Melinda Claudia Bucking-Lawan and Marina Foo posing for a group photo during the WAK Festival Appreciation Dinner last night.

According to Tan, this year’s theme of SHOOTS has been apt, with fresh ideas, new faces and unexpected collaborations and creative expressions happening throughout the festival. The 8^th edition of WAK Festival also welcomed first time collaborators alongside familiar partners and inclusive communities like the Sarawak Society for the Deaf. 

Looking ahead, Tan shared the festival’s ambition to making WAK a better and stronger platform for the creative industry by extending their reach, elevating production, strengthening promotional efforts, encouraging greater community participation and building deeper partnerships, all while preserving the open access spirit that has defined WAK from the very beginning.

Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (centre) was appointed Honourary Advisor of WAK Festival for his instrumental role in nurturing WAK’s growth since 2017.

“Having supported WAK since its inception in 2017, I take particular pride in seeing how this community initiative continues to evolve, bringing together people from different backgrounds through a shared passion for arts, culture and creativity,” said Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim, who was formally appointed as Honorary Advisor to WAK Festival at last night’s event.

“Whatever the future may bring, I hope that the spirit of WAK will continue to flourish, supported by strong institutions, committed partners and, above all, the extraordinary creative energy of our people. For ultimately, the future of WAK does not rest in the hands of any one Minister, Ministry or organising committee. It rests in the hearts and imagination of the community that has made it possible.”