WAK Festival 2026 opens ‘Call for Proposal’ under the theme ‘Shoots’

A group photo upon the conclusion of WAK Festival 2026’s Call for Proposal event at 11Ridgeway, Kuching.

KUCHING, 6 March 2026: WAK Festival officially launched its Call for Proposals (CFP) for WAK Festival 2026 earlier today at 11Ridgeway in Kuching, inviting creatives, communities, organisations, and cultural practitioners from across Sarawak and the region to submit event proposals for the upcoming festival edition.

Officiated by Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, , the media launch marked the beginning of submissions for the festival’s 8th edition, which continues to position itself as Sarawak’s premier open-access, multi-genre community festival platform celebrating arts, culture, and lifestyle. 

In his opening remarks, Festival Director Donald Tan introduced the theme “Shoots”, describing it as a symbol of emergence, renewal, and courageous growth within Sarawak’s creative ecosystem. “If roots ground us, shoots carry us forward,” he said. “Shoots represent the first visible signs of life pushing upward; new talents, new collaborations, and new creative enterprises taking shape across Sarawak. Today’s Call for Proposals is an open invitation to be part of that growth.”

Under the Shoots theme, the festival is calling for bold ideas, experimental formats, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and creative start-ups ready to engage with audiences across a diverse range of genres including music, visual arts, design, digital innovation, culinary experiences, performance, and lifestyle programming.

In his official address, Dato Sri Abdul Karim recalled that during the launch of the previous edition, the Premier of Sarawak had described WAK Festival as “a flagship celebration of Sarawak’s arts, culture, and lifestyle.” “That statement affirmed WAK as a defining feature event for our State, one that reflects who we are as a people: creative, diverse, and forward-looking,” he added. “If previous editions strengthened our foundations, ‘Shoots’ represents growth in motion; new talents rising, new collaborations forming, and new creative enterprises flourishing.”

Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (centre) during his officiating remarks. Also present, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu (left) and Donald Tan (right).

Officially launched: WAK Festival 2026’s Call for Proposals!

He also called upon creatives from across the region, including Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, and Peninsular Malaysia, to participate in the upcoming festival edition by submitting their proposals through the official website.

Also present at today’s event, Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, MTCP Permanent Secretary, Morshidi Fredrick, Council Chairman of Majlis Perbandaran Padawan (MPP), Cr Tan Kai and WAK Founding Festival Director, Marina Foo. 

WAK Festival 2026 will once again take place across multiple locations in Sarawak, with satellite festivals happening in Sibu (12 – 14 June 2026) and Miri (19 – 21 June 2026), followed by the month-long Kuching edition throughout October 2026.

Creatives, organisations, and community groups interested in participating are invited to submit their proposals via www.wakfestival.com. For the latest updates, follow @wakfestival on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.