Penang Arts Council - PAC

Penang Arts Council - PAC Penang Arts Council (PAC) is a non-profit, non-political organization working to promote the arts Watch this space for updates and see you soon!

After a long hiatus, the Penang Arts Council or PAC is back in action! Established in 1954, PAC is one of Penang’s earliest associations dedicated to promoting and advancing the arts in Penang. Ever since then, PAC has come a long way, from staging the production of traditional music and dance to pop genres. We were also privileged to receive support from the public and companies such as Texchem G

roup of Companies and YTL in producing opera, a rarity in the region. Some of the operas that we’ve staged included A Grand Night of Opera (1989), Carmen (1997 and 2004), Die Fledermaus (1994), The Merry Widow (1996), The Land of Smiles (1999), Madame Butterfly (2002) and Turandot (2003). We are rejuvenating PAC with an objective to be inclusive of all performing, visual and other art forms in Penang, and to reach out to more people. We look forward to working with individuals and organizations to raise the standards of arts in Penang.

Celebrate Malaysia Day this 16th Hin Bus Depot watch special screening of SA’BAN film fromSarawak
30/08/2026

Celebrate Malaysia Day this 16th Hin Bus Depot watch special screening of SA’BAN film from
Sarawak

In conjunction with Malaysia Day, CANVAS ART will present ‘Sa’ban of Sarawak’, a special screening and networking event with the support of Hin Bus Depot in Penang on Malaysia Day (16 September 2026). Sa’ban is one of the smallest indigenous Orang Ulu minority groups in Sarawak, with approxi...

An Evening of Songs & Hymns at St Georges Church 12th September . Dont MISS this !
30/08/2026

An Evening of Songs & Hymns at St Georges Church 12th September . Dont MISS this !

"It was a celebration of faith, history and music, bringing together an instrument that has survived more than a century...
28/08/2026

"It was a celebration of faith, history and music, bringing together an instrument that has survived more than a century, musicians from different generations and an audience gathered beneath the majestic walls of one of Penang’s historic places of worship. And perhaps that was what made the evening so special."

(Image source: Felix Lam FB) As I navigated through traffic and finally entered the historic Church of the Assumption, it felt surreal. I had watched it, walked

"There was something lovely about watching the narrators and musicians feed off each other. The music gave the stories m...
28/08/2026

"There was something lovely about watching the narrators and musicians feed off each other. The music gave the stories movement, while the performances gave the music character. It drew you into the stories without needing elaborate sets or digital effects. Just people, music, voices and imagination."

(Image source: Eric Yeoh FB) When was the last time you felt like a child?For me, it was the Sunday, August 16th when I attended The Wolf, The Emperor & The Ens

"There’s something special about sharing a communal space and bearing witness to other people’s personal stories that is...
20/08/2026

"There’s something special about sharing a communal space and bearing witness to other people’s personal stories that is both comforting and healing. Around me were strangers who had come for the same reason — to watch. Yet for that hour or so, we sat in silence and collectively held space for stories about love, grief, family and the things we struggle to say. Maybe that is the magic of Wayang Pacak. It is not just about watching a film under the stars. It is about being reminded that behind every face, every family photograph and every silence, there is a story."

19/08/2026

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS
MATERIAL ENCOUNTERS: STORIES OF A COSMOPOLIS

How can an artwork carry the life of a place?

Artists are invited to submit work for “Material Encounters: Stories of a Cosmopolis,” a proposed group exhibition exploring how materials, objects and artistic processes embody migration, memory, labour, coexistence and changing urban life.

Tentative exhibition: 20 November–6 December 2026
Tentative opening: Friday, 20 November, 5:30 PM
Venue: Shō Hotel, Gelugor, Penang
Submission deadline: 20 September 2026
Curated by Kenneth Wong / People Ideas Culture

THE CURATORIAL DIRECTION

Situated in Gelugor, beyond George Town’s more familiar heritage centre, the exhibition approaches Penang as a living cosmopolis shaped by crossings of languages, faiths, foodways, labour, migration, memory and everyday encounters.

We are interested not only in what an artwork represents, but also in how its medium, surface, scale, composition, physical presence and artistic process generate meaning.

Possible subjects include:

• Migration, diaspora and cultural crossings
• Languages, literature and translation
• Labour, hospitality and everyday urban life
• Foodways, domestic objects and inherited practices
• Faith, ritual and community memory
• Disappearing neighbourhoods and changing landscapes
• Personal and community archives
• Q***r, marginalised or overlooked histories
• Found, salvaged and repurposed materials
• Ecology, urbanisation and development
• The social or political lives of ordinary objects

ELIGIBLE ARTWORKS

We welcome painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, textiles, collage, mixed media, artist books, text-based work, reliefs, ceramics and suitable small sculptural objects.

Existing and newly produced works are both eligible. Emerging and established artists may apply.

The currently identified wall-display areas are approximately 62 × 92 cm and 52 × 92 cm. Smaller works and suitable groupings may be proposed. Ceramics and tabletop works remain subject to the final display measurements.

Artists should be able to arrange the delivery and collection of their works unless otherwise agreed.

WHY THIS EXHIBITION, AND WHY NOW?

This is an independent curatorial initiative responding to two significant events.

The exhibition coincides with the 2026 George Town Literary Festival, themed “Cosmopolises,” from 27–29 November. It also develops alongside my submitted proposal for DIB Bangkok’s “Material Touch Points” symposium on 17-20 December.

It is not an official programme of, or partnership with, GTLF or DIB Bangkok.

ARTIST PROMOTION

There will be no printed catalogue or e-catalogue.

Instead, participating artists and displayed artworks will be promoted through dedicated social-media posts throughout the exhibition period. This allows each selected artist and artwork to receive individual public attention rather than being included only in a general exhibition announcement.

SALES ARRANGEMENT

For artworks sold during the exhibition:

• 60% of the selling price will be paid to the artist
• 40% will be allocated to the curator

Selected unsold works may also be invited to remain on display and offered for sale at Shō Hotel for an optional additional three-month consignment period.

For sales during that extended period:

• 80% artist
• 15% Shō Hotel
• 5% Kenneth Wong as the intermediary agency

The extended arrangement is optional and requires the artist’s written agreement. Artists will be responsible for collecting works that remain unsold when the agreed consignment period expires.

HOW TO EXPRESS INTEREST

Interested artists should leave the following comment beneath this post:

“INTERESTED, PM”

I will then send you the Google Form privately so that you can provide your artist biography, statement, artwork details, images, price and installation requirements.

Please do not upload your portfolio or personal contact information in the public comments.

Submitting the form does not guarantee selection. Selection will be based on curatorial relevance, artistic quality, available space, safety and installation feasibility.

All dates and venue arrangements remain subject to final confirmation.

15/08/2026

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