GEORGE TOWN – It has been 11 years since George Town Festival (GTF) was inaugurated and it is showing no signs of slowing down, despite the pandemic, with the launch of 2021’s Nine Days Eight Exhibitions and Nine Days Eight Shows yesterday.
Speaking to reporters, GTF director, Jack Wong, said that despite the lockdown that thwarted their plans to have their hybrid show in July, they have risen above adversity to organise events that have and are attracting audiences from across Malaysia.
He said that festivals in Penang, especially GTF, present something that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.
“For Penang, the difference is our city itself is an art. We have the Unesco World Heritage title, beautiful heritage buildings with locations that are suitable for art events.
“When we curate the festival, it is not about bringing in a performance or art exhibition to put them in a venue. We are matching the venue and the art together so they become a totally new product, an experience that audiences cannot get anywhere else.
“We hope to have more art lovers from around the country to attend GTF this time around but our event capacity is limited as we cannot have big-scale outdoor shows,” he said.
For the eight ticketed shows showcasing at the beginning of December, Wong said that half of the tickets have been snatched up, with a majority of buyers from residents outside Penang.
Due to SOPs, total tickets for indoor shows have been limited to 1,200.
Also the managing director of TLM Event, Wong said that there were 100 programmes curated this year including the online programmes that ran in July, when the physical programmes were postponed.
To aid artists in the state, the committee has explored several new methods to promote the arts, including the publication of two books, Penang at a Glance photobook and Tanjong Life: The New Norm comic book. Both are available for purchase in stores and online.
They also carried out two virtual residency programmes, namely Lights On virtual residency programme and the 3x3 stay at home art residency programme, which offered an opportunity for artists to be supported monetarily while they remained in their homes to create their art during the pandemic and lockdown.
GTF also has a new digital marketplace named 'Arts to your doorstep' that allows local artists to sell their creations to art lovers nationwide and to over 14 countries via the festival website.
Nine Days Eight Exhibitions featuring eight free-to-attend exhibitions is currently running from November 20 to 28 across seven locations in the city that include painting, drawing, photography and art installations.
Nine Days Eight Shows will run from December 4 to 12 and will feature eight ticketed performances that include a rainforest concert at Penang Hill’s The Habitat, stand-up comedy, contemporary dance performances and wayang kulit. – The Vibes, November 21, 2021
