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Running from 1–31 October 2026, WAK Festival returns for its eighth edition in Kuching, bringing a month of arts, culture and lifestyle experiences across the city, explore different spaces and connect with the communities behind them.
Its official launch on 3 October, titled Celebrating Us, put those communities at the centre of the occasion. The message running through the launch remarks was simple: WAK has grown because of the people who continue to build it together.
A festival built by its community
When WAK began in Kuching in 2017, the idea was to give Sarawak’s creative community a shared platform, a place to express ideas, collaborate and showcase their work.
That spirit continues to shape the festival today. Artists, performers, musicians, designers, makers, storytellers and entrepreneurs all have a place in its growing network. For audiences, that means opportunities to encounter different sides of Sarawak’s creativity and discover the people behind the work.
“Individually, we can create. But together, we can create impactfully,” reads the festival directors’ welcoming address. It’s a fitting reflection of a festival whose identity comes from collective effort.
Discovering the city through creativity
Throughout October, WAK brings creative activity into galleries, theatres, hotels, cafés, cultural spaces and streets. These places become starting points for discovery, inviting audiences to experience the city through its artists and communities.
Part of the appeal is the chance to follow your curiosity. A familiar venue might introduce you to an unfamiliar art form, while a festival event could lead you to a corner of the city you have yet to explore.
WAK offers a reason to look more closely at the creativity already around us, and to make time for it.
Growing beyond Kuching
The festival’s story now extends beyond its founding city. WAK Sibu and WAK Miri are each in their third editions, with their own communities shaping what the festival looks and feels like locally.
Rather than repeating the same experience in every city, the platform gives each place room to express its character while staying connected to a wider Sarawak creative community.
The launch address also highlighted discussions about possible future editions in Bintulu and beyond. Those possibilities are still being explored, with the emphasis on building connections and creating more opportunities for local talent.
Making room for creative futures
The launch also looked at what a festival can make possible beyond its events. A stage gives performers an audience. A marketplace helps creative entrepreneurs reach customers. A collaboration can open doors to future work.
In the address prepared on behalf of the Premier of Sarawak, creativity was recognised as a source of meaningful careers, businesses and opportunities for young Sarawakians.
That ambition gives WAK’s growth a wider purpose: helping creative practitioners see a future for their work in Sarawak, alongside opportunities to share it further afield.
Celebrating Us
The launch title captures the heart of this year’s festival. Celebrating Us recognises the artists, organisers, venues, partners, volunteers and audiences who make a creative community possible.
For anyone curious about Sarawak’s arts, culture and lifestyle, WAK is an invitation to get involved. Explore a space, discover an artist, bring a friend and become part of the audience that helps local creativity grow.
There’s still time to join the celebration. Explore the full programme on the WAK Festival website and get your tickets here. Pick your favourites and discover a different side of Kuching this October.
