Foreign vendors for KK visual arts festival
KOTA KINABALU: Visual Communication Association Kota Kinabalu (VCA KK) and Salt x Paper Stationary & Gifts have teamed up to organise Sabah's first ever week-long visual arts festival dubbed the North Borneo Design Week (NBDW).
The event will be held from October 27 to November 2 at Riverson, Kota Kinabalu and it is aimed at fostering the growth of the state capital's creative industry.
“This programme aims to promote and elevate the local arts and design through a wide range of activities such as artisan markets, art exhibitions, workshops and design talks by prominent speakers in the art and design industry,” Salt x Paper Stationery & Gifts owner Aaron Lam said.
He explained that the big scale art festival would feature over 100 creative vendors (including local artists and some from Kuala Lumpur, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, France, the USA and more) at the artisan market to showcase their creations.
The creative artworks include fine art, art and crafts, hand-made body care products, jewellery and accessories, home decorations etc.
Meanwhile, VCA KK president Noah Lee said the event would be an ‘eye opener' for Sabahans.
“Design weeks or design festivals are held regularly all over the world. Sabah's first ever design week will be an eye opener for local creative practitioners as professionals from all over the world are invited to share about their respective fields, vice versa from our local creative industry to the public,” Noah said.
As for the workshops, Noah highlighted that the organizers had invited local and overseas artists, such as Hong Yi (known as Red) and Chua Soon Min (known as Katak) to conduct master classes and share their knowledge through design talks in order to raise the standards of local creative practitioners and make a mark on the global stage.
On September 4, Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Chan Foong Hin and Luyang assemblyman Ginger Phoong Jin Zhe had both contributed RM10,000 and RM2,000 each for the commencement of the NBDW programme.
In this regard, both Chan and Ginger had called upon the public to support the programme.
“Although Sabah tourism relies on its natural assets, the arts and culture play a major role by adding value to it. By developing the arts and culture and encouraging creative entrepreneurship, we are building a good and diversified image of the state and leave a unique impression to the tourists who visit Sabah.
“As the new government, as the new member of parliament, we strongly support the youth to courageously emerge into the arts and culture sector,” Chan said.
He said that the time had come for Sabah to support their local artists towards the next level, to showcase their talents on an international level.
Meanwhile, Ginger reckoned that most tourists chose to visit Sabah not just for its well-known natural tropical beauty and local delicacies, but the local artworks, clothing, handicrafts which could be a major asset to the state's tourism industry.