The 17th George Town Festival (GTF) will bring more than 40 programmes featuring artists from 10 countries when it runs from 1 to 9 August across George Town.
Themed “Beyond Boundaries,” the nine-day festival spans visual arts, theatre, dance, music, film, public installations, workshops and community activities. According to Buletin Mutiara, State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the line-up would strengthen the festival’s international outlook.
Eighty per cent of the programmes are free to attend. Penang Hyperlocal reported that Wong described the festival as closely tied to George Town’s 2008 inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“The origin of GTF is closely tied to a defining moment in Penang’s history,” Wong said.
The festival opens with “Six to Eleven,” a two-day celebration at Padang Kota Lama on 1 and 2 August. The programme includes “Heritage in Motion: TERANG,” a large-scale visual spectacle using light, technology and storytelling on George Town’s historic architecture. Sarawakian musician Alena Murang and indigenous collective At Adau will perform alongside Germany’s DUNDU giant light puppets.
GTF 2026 presents seven ticketed productions spanning theatre, dance, music, puppetry and contemporary performance. Highlights include the Malaysian debut of South Korea’s “Dream Space,” Taiwan’s “Lament of the Wandering Head” and “When Spirits Meet,” and “Shakespeare Meets NOH: DESDEMONA,” a fusion of Shakespeare and Japanese Noh theatre. Award-winning physical theatre production “TEWAS: No Light at the End of the Tunnel” confronts bullying and violence, while ZXC Theatre Troupe marks its 35th anniversary with “MATAHARI.” The line-up also includes “Malaysian Real Book II: Past to Present,” a celebration of iconic Malaysian songs reimagined through contemporary jazz.
The festival collaborates with the Embassy of Spain in Malaysia, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Penang. Regional partnerships include South Korea’s Ansan Street Arts Festival and the Singapore Night Festival.
On the visual arts front, sculptor Low Chee Peng presents “Artisan II,” celebrating George Town’s master craftsmen, while Taiwanese artist Kuei-Chih Lee contributes “Converge,” a public installation reflecting on the relationship between nature, culture and community. Other exhibitions include “Shifting Whispers,” “Street Fragments: Jalan Gurdwara,” “The Natural History Museum of Yeahnahnesia” by Yok and Sheryo, and “Collodion, Silver, Glass: Contemporary Wet Plate Photography.”
Food and culture merge through “Kopi & Karya,” which transforms 10 George Town cafés into a creative trail with festival-inspired drinks and artisan bakes. Film fans can catch “Wayang Pacak,” an open-air cinema series featuring independent films, documentaries and animation from Malaysia and across Asia.
George Town World Heritage Incorporated general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee and TLM Event chief executive officer Jack Wong were also present at the press conference.
Tickets went on sale from 10 June. For details, visit www.georgetownfestival.com or follow George Town Festival on Facebook and Instagram (@georgetownfestival).
