AFTER 16 days of exciting performances, exhibitions, and community events across various locations in the cityscapes of George Town and wider Penang, the George Town Festival 2023 (GTF 2023) officially concluded with its grand finale, ‘The Light in the City’ in Beach Street tonight.
Thousand of visitors thronged Beach Street to experience the unforgettable celebration of creativity, unity, and cultural richness through the festival that started at 5pm.
‘The Light in the City’ featured activities such as ‘Immersio-Digital Art Gallery’, ‘Immersio-Outdoor Projection Mapping’, ‘Riso Art Jam-Art Bazaar’, ‘Riso Art Jam- Art Exhibition’, ‘dothedoodle’, ‘Colour the Street’, ‘Picnic by the Street’, and ‘Joy in George Town’.
Apart from that, there were also other programmes such as ‘Batik Showcase: A Modern Interpretation’, ‘Jocelyn J Chin: EDM Crossover Piano’ and ‘At Adau: Rhythms of Bornes’ that were designed to captivate and delight visitors.
GTF director Jack Wong said this year’s festival received overwhelming support from the public and 90% of tickets were sold out for all the shows.
“This year, the outdoor events in Berapit, Batu Kawan and Air Itam saw a surge in visitors’ turnout, surpassing expectations.
“I am happy to see so many visitors thronging Beach Street tonight to experience the uniqueness of George Town Festival.
“At the same time, I would like to thank all the artistes, volunteers and crew members for your hard work to make this festival a successful one,” he said in his speech.
George Town Festival is an internationally acclaimed annual arts and culture event in George Town, Penang. It is a project by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), organised by TLM Event, and endorsed by the Penang government.
Caretaker Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who was the guest of honour during the GTF 2023 closing ceremony, said The Light in the City presented the perfect opportunity to bid farewell to the George Town Festival 2023.
“Rarely do we see a celebration like this at the heart of George Town, where the arts take centre stage. This is a moment for everyone to see, listen, feel, and be a part of the festival.
“To celebrate The Light in the City is to celebrate the impact of the arts in our lives and society.
“The arts pull people together, creating a community that speaks the language of togetherness.
“Today, we celebrate unity among diversity and the bountiful presence of the arts in our beloved heritage city and our thriving community. This is the power and possibilities of the arts,” Chow said in his speech.
Chow added that for the past five years, George Town Festival has journeyed with one goal in mind, which was to create a more inclusive and accessible arts-centric festival under the overarching banner, ‘A Festival for Everyone’.
“The vision behind this is to ensure that more people, especially those within Penang, would engage and actively participate in the arts.
“This is one of the main reasons that the state government has continuously supported the festival to ensure that the arts can be expressed as freely as possible.
“But we could not have grown if it wasn’t for you. That is why I want to thank all of you present today and those who have travelled near and far to be with us throughout the festival. Thank you for your presence and for being a part of the festival’s journey,” he said.
Chow also thanked those who purchased tickets to the shows and performances during the 16-day GTF 2023.
“Thank you for your generosity and for being patrons of the arts.
“Your engagement is essential to the continued, sustainable growth of the arts in Penang and around the world. I hope you will continue to celebrate and recognise our local and homegrown talents beyond the festival.
“I also would like to congratulate the organisers and the committee on a job well done. Thank you for your hard work and for being a part of the effort to keep the arts alive in Penang,” Chow concluded.
Also present were GTWHI general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk A. Rajendran.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Siew Chia En
Video by Law Suun Ting