KUCHING: State support for What About Kuching (WAK) will go on as long as the festival continues its excellent trajectory for the city and Sarawak.
“The WAK vision and mission that has been shared to me and my ministry truly resonates with us and I look forward to see how far WAK is able to deliver on these in the next editions,” said Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He added that a big festival such as WAK needs great resources to run well and in thus respect urged big homegrown corporations such as Sarawak Energy, Petros, CMSB and others to come forward and provide some support.
“Only via a collective effort will we be able to further this cause which will greatly impact our youths and our many talented creative communities.
“I set this task on to the festival directors and their team to start knocking on the doors of these large corporations early so that we will have more sponsors coming aboard to render their support,” he said during the WAK 2022 after party at Grand Margherita Hotel here on Monday (Oct 31).
Abdul Karim applauded the festival directors and teams behind the festival alongside its many collaborators for staging the events with such high standards.
“This augurs well for our creative industry and performing arts sector as we strive to attain international standards in the future.
“As creatives, you must all continue to improve and expose yourselves to the highest standards through good networking and persistent hard work and dedication,” he added.
He also said the ministry will work even more closely with Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) and other venue custodians to avail more exciting venues where exciting events may be staged in the future.
“It is my hope that one day soon, every corner of Kuching will be buzzing with activities,” he added.
Abdul Karim also pointed out that it is perhaps timely now for WAK to embark on smaller activities such as talks, workshops and even artists’ camp leading to the main event.
“Explore synergistic partnerships with communities abroad and these will help build our existing capacity in the creative scene even more in readiness to stage bigger events come each October,” he said.
Meanwhile, director of WAK, Ronald Tan said being the only open access, multi genre, month-long festival of the scale in the region meant that they have little blueprint or example for them to chart their way.
“Through teamwork, sheer doggedness and hard work, we managed to adhere till the end.
“We have all learnt much together and this will keep us in good stead as we chart our way forward more efficiently and we hope to have everyone on board again for WAK 2023,” he said.
WAK 2022 came to a close last night with a lively appreciation dinner to celebrate its success.
The month-long festival featured 181 unique events organised by 59 collaborating individuals or groups under the WAK festival umbrella.
Also present during the after party event was Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Abdul Karim’s spouse, Datuk Zuraini Abdul Jabbar and vice chairman of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim.
