ABOUT George town festival

George Town Festival is an annual, month-long celebration of culture, heritage, art, and community.

Inaugurated in 2010 in honour of George Town’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the festival transforms the city into a global stage, showcasing world-class performances, installations, and collaborations from international and local artists alike. With over one hundred unique events each year, the festival seeks to create new and vibrant connections between the traditional and the contemporary, the past and the future.

The festival is in its ninth year now, managed by Joe Sidek Productions Sdn Bhd since 2010 and drawing thousands of visitors each year to Penang. George Town Festival has become one of Malaysia's - and Asia’s - must-see events.

This year, the festival returns from August 4 until September 2, 2018. See you there!

GTF 2018 BOOKLET  |  GTF 2018 isle to isle BOOKLET  |  GTF 2018 merchandise

1,365,937Attendees
976Events
1,621Proposals
204,800Cups of coffee

"George Town Festival is growing into a major asian arts event."

International New York Times

"One of southeast asia's most exciting celebrations of culture, heritage, and community"

The Guardian

"A festival celebrating the arts in george town has brought in hundreds of thousands of tourists..."

Al Jazeera

“Best of Penang rolled up in one big festival.”

CNN Travel

“One festival in Malaysia worth making a road trip for!”

THE EDGE Malaysia

"One of Malaysia's - and Asia's most acclaimed international arts festivals"

Nikkei Asian Review

Programmes 2018

Below see some of the highlights of our upcoming festival. Click here to view the full line-up.

2062

10 AUG 2018 (FRI)
8:30pm

11 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

A French Ethnologist in Kelantan

4 AUG - 2 SEP 2018
11:00am - 9:00pm

Between Tiny Cities រវាងទីក្រុងតូច

4 AUG 2018 (SAT)
3:30pm & 8:30pm

5 AUG 2018 (SUN)
8:30pm

Blind

31 AUG 2018 (FRI)
Time coming soon

1 SEP 2018 (SAT)
Time coming soon

Cambodia: Witness to Change

4 AUG - 2 SEP 2018 (WEEKENDS ONLY)
10:00am - 5:00pm

Cantamus Dresden: Highlights of European Music

4 AUG 2018 (SAT)
3:30pm & 6:30pm

Ensemble Q

3 AUG 2018 (FRI)
8:00pm

Forbidden Fruits

11 AUG - 2 SEP 2018 (EXCL. MONDAYS)
11:00am - 5:00pm

Griffith Film School

5 AUG - 2 SEP 2018
Various times

Grit & Grace

8 AUG - 2 SEP 2018
10:00am - 8:00pm

Instant Theatre

25 AUG 2018 (SAT)
9:30pm

26 AUG 2018 (SUN)
9:30pm

Isle of Dreams

18 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

19 AUG 2018 (SUN)
8:30pm

KELANTAN: A Living Heritage

4 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

5 AUG 2018 (SUN)
8:30pm

KaBooM: Stories from Distant Frontlines

25 AUG 2018 (SAT)
6:30pm & 8:30pm

26 AUG 2018 (SUN)
6:30pm & 8:30pm

Over Penang

4 AUG - 2 SEP 2018 (EXCL. MONDAYS)
11:00am - 6:00pm

SeaShorts Film Festival

1 - 5 AUG 2018
Various times

Second Body

17 AUG 2018 (FRI)
8:30pm

18 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

Stripes and Strokes

4 AUG - 2 SEP 2018
11:00am - 6:00pm

The Griffith Creative Arts Room

4 AUG - 2 SEP 2018 (WEEKENDS ONLY)
10:00am - 5:00pm

The Poverty Line

11 AUG - 2 SEP 2018 (EXCL. MONDAYS)
11:00am - 6:00pm

Under the Kayon Tree

25 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

26 AUG 2018 (SUN)
8:30pm

WHIST

10 - 12 AUG 2018
1:00pm - 8:00pm (Hourly)

16 - 19 AUG 2018
1:00pm - 8:00pm (Hourly)

We Cannot Talk About It

24 AUG 2018 (FRI)
8:30pm

25 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

Yaron Kohlberg feat. Ciaran McAuley & Penang Philharmonic Orchestra

10 AUG 2018 (FRI)
8:30pm

11 AUG 2018 (SAT)
8:30pm

GTFun fact!

Did you know? The first George Town Festival was just one day long (in 2010). 2018's festival is 30 days long, with over 100 events. 

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