WAK Festival 2026 Officially Launched, Celebrating Sarawak’s Creative Community
KUCHING, 3 OCTOBER 2026 – The 8th edition of WAK Festival 2026 was officially launched today at Level 2, tHe Spring Kuching, bringing together leaders, creative practitioners, partners and supporters to celebrate Sarawak’s arts, culture and lifestyle under this year’s theme, “Celebrating Us.”
The launch was officiated by YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, who represented the Premier of Sarawak, YAB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg.
Among those present were YB Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak; Yang Mulia Tuan Sheikh Abdul Mahdani Dato Paduka Sheikh Haji Abdul Gani, Consul-General of Brunei Darussalam in Sarawak; and Yang Mulia Bapak Dr Abdullah Zulkifli, Consul-General of Indonesia in Sarawak, accompanied by Ibu Gusti Nirmala Zulkifli.
The launch marked another milestone for WAK, which began in Kuching in 2017 with a simple idea – to bring Sarawak’s creative community together, create space for expression and allow ideas and collaborations to flourish.
Eight editions later, WAK has grown into a community-driven creative platform connecting artists, performers, musicians, cultural practitioners, entrepreneurs, businesses and communities across Sarawak.
A JOURNEY BUILT TOGETHER
In his address, Dato Sri Abdul Karim highlighted how WAK has grown beyond its beginnings in Kuching, with WAK Sibu and WAK Miri now in their third editions.
He said WAK’s strength comes from being built with the community and by the community, allowing each city to develop its own creative identity while remaining connected to a larger Sarawak platform.
The festival’s continued development reflects the growing role of creativity within Sarawak, creating opportunities for artists and performers, activating venues and public spaces, supporting local businesses and strengthening connections across the creative community.
Every artist given a stage, every musician given an audience, every creative entrepreneur given a marketplace and every collaboration created contributes towards a stronger creative ecosystem for Sarawak.
CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE BEHIND WAK
The theme “Celebrating Us” reflects both WAK’s journey and the community that has shaped it.
In his welcoming remarks, the WAK Festival Director reflected on the festival’s beginnings in 2017 and acknowledged the support of the Sarawak Government, MTCP, city councils, agencies, partners and, most importantly, the creative community itself.
He stressed that WAK must continue to be a platform for artists, performers, musicians, designers, makers, storytellers, entrepreneurs, organisers and emerging talents – creating opportunities for the creative community to be seen, heard and celebrated.
Throughout October, WAK will bring this spirit to life across Kuching, with galleries, theatres, hotels, cafés, cultural spaces, streets and other venues becoming places for discovery, creativity and connection.
As WAK celebrates its eighth edition, the focus remains on the people, ideas and creative energy that have shaped the festival and continue to give it meaning.
“WAK belongs to all of us. Its strength comes from all of us.”
