KUCHING: The Sarawak Arts Festival is being considered for inclusion in the Sarawak Tourism Calendar as an annual event to give it a distinct identity among the state’s prestigious programmes.
Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the move would help avoid overlapping dates with other major events and maximise the festival’s potential as a key attraction, particularly for arts enthusiasts.
“My hope is that this Arts Festival will be included in the tourism calendar. If it is included, at least we will know the dates of the programme for each year.
“This way, we can avoid situations where major programmes take place during the same week or on the same day in a particular year. I am sure it would be a loss if such a situation occurs,” he said.
He said this when speaking at the Sarawak Arts Festival 2025 opening ceremony held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here, last night (Nov 14).
According to him, the festival has great potential as a visitor attraction, especially for art practitioners, judging by the turnout that filled the BCCK hall during the opening ceremony.
“Looking at this event, it is truly impressive the moment we entered the hall. I would like to congratulate the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) and all those involved, directly or indirectly, in making this event successful.
“I can see that their efforts have produced results, for instance many of us may have never seen the traditional dance of the Penan community performed in the city of Kuching,” he said.
Further elaborating, Abdul Karim emphasised that such programmes help elevate Sarawak’s cultural diversity on the world stage through the contributions of local artists.
He also believes that the 34 ethnic groups in Sarawak form the main strength in enriching the arts scene in the state.
“I believe efforts like these can foster unity among our diverse communities.
“That is among the aspirations of our leaders we want to see our ethnic groups valued, and our arts, culture, gastronomy, and traditional foods elevated,” he added.
