KUCHING: Community arts festival, ‘Seni Kita’, returns this weekend with a new edition themed ‘Jungle of Light’, offering local residents a packed schedule of artisan markets, workshops, film screenings and performances at HAUS KCH in the Yun Phin Building here.
The festival, being held from December 12 to 14, opens with exclusive film screenings for invited schools on Friday, before welcoming the public from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
This quarter’s programme, which continues the festival’s mission to nurture Sarawak’s creative economy, is supported by Yayasan Hasanah’s Arts for All Seasons (ArtsFAS) grant.
A major draw is the ‘Seni Kita’ artisan market, featuring 32 vendors across two locations – 29 at HAUS KCH and three at Kuching Comic Con (KCC).
Visitors can expect food, handmade crafts, illustration prints and lifestyle goods from vendors such as Alit Production, Baked By Puteri, Like That Lejoyland, Figs & Ferns, Toofies Kch, Gerai Sulu Nuan and Mach.jia.
The festival’s long-time partner, the Goethe-Institut Malaysia, marks its 15th year of the Science Film Festival in Kuching featuring 37 curated films on ecology, culture, technology and family-friendly entertainment.
An exclusive student screening focusing on careers in sustainability will be held on December 12 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm for participating centres, including Little Palm Academy, Little Nest and Fun Art Club.
Among the anticipated highlights is Graff+Groove, a graffiti-and-dance collaboration by mother-daughter duo Miyo & AryaQist, scheduled for Dec 13 from 3 pm to 6 pm in the courtyard with The KopiDays support.
The session includes a graffiti demo, a dance jam, and a treasure hunt. Poetry enthusiasts will gather for ‘Word of Mouth: BorNeon’ on Saturday at 8:00 pm, hosted by the Wordsmiths of Kuching.
This edition explores the tension between tradition and modernity through open-mic performances.
The festival’s experimental music segment, ‘Mighty Desk: Volume 3’, will feature sound practitioner Hasnizam Abdul Wahid on December 14 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Limited to 30 seats, the RM25 ticket includes a drink and showcases his performance on an electronically modified traditional instrument.
Workshops remain a festival staple, with Blend Visuals hosting a Projection Mapping Workshop on December 14 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, introducing participants to basic tools and After Effects workflows.
An INTERFLUX art + tech exhibition will also be launched, displaying works by 2025 residency artists from Malaysia and abroad, centred on their creative explorations in Sarawak.
Seni Kita 2025 is organised in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Filamen, AOK Records, The KopiDays, Kuching Comic Con and other creative partners.
Entry to the festival is free.
