Bandar Cassia dubbed Penang’s new art city

BATU KAWAN – George Town is no longer the only location in the state to go to for street art. Bandar Cassia is now the new art city after three larger-than-life container art pieces were moved here.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said that three out of the five container art structures of the Penang International Container Art Festival (PICAF) are now at Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan at Design Village Outlet Mall, Square @ Cassia and Batu Kawan Industrial Park respectively.

“Moving the container art to Bandar Cassia is a strategic action to promote Bandar Cassia and Batu Kawan whereby the inclusion of container art will create a unique sense of township identity and add an artistic touch to Bandar Cassia, enhancing the creative ecosystem at  Seberang Prai.

“This allows Bandar Cassia to be transformed into a work-life balanced city, freshening up the urban development of Bandar Cassia with a sense of creativity whilst accelerating our footsteps to make Bandar Cassia a prominent commercial and leisure destination in Northern Peninsular Malaysia.

“The goal is to also bridge the gap between Penang Island and Seberang Prai in terms of tourism development. 

“These efforts are aimed at diversifying our tourism offerings to appeal to a wider range of tourists, eventually securing them for longer and returning visits,” he said. 

Two other container art structures are still located at Kg Terang, Balik Pulau and Dataran Pemuda Merdeka, Butterworth and will be kept status quo until December 2022.

The inaugural PICAF held in 2020 was a massive canvas that allowed twelve exceptional creative talents to unleash their potential, eventually witnessing the birth of five three-storey tall container art installations that encapsulates and narrates the identity of Penang’s local communities.  

Yeoh said these installations have helped to enhance Penang’s visibility in the international market as a street art capital, raising the state’s popularity in recent years. 

While speaking about the future of PICAF, Yeoh is optimistic that it will turn into an annual festival featuring entertainment in arts and collaboration with neighbouring partners such as IKEA, Design Village Outlet Mall, ASPEN, and Perbadanan Stadium. – The Vibes, May 24, 2022