Multi-disciplinary festival set to enthrall arts and culture lovers
GEORGE Town Festival (GTF) 2025 has kicked off in Penang, promising locals and tourists alike a celebration of arts and culture till Aug 10.
Its "After Dusk" opening gala at the Esplanade on Aug 2 thrilled large crowds with a projection mapping display on the facade of the historic Town Hall alongside contemplative dance performances, uplifting folk music and an open-air night market.
Present to launch the occasion were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, state tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai and other state leaders.
The "After Dusk" event will repeat on Aug 3 from 5pm onwards. The projection mapping, called "Terang" by Filamen, will continue on its own from 8pm to 11pm nightly until the festival's end.
There is also "Between Departures", a mobile live music experience aboard a RapidPenang city bus featuring acoustic sets by 1 Drum and Sundal Malam Ensemble. This will depart Jalan Padang Kota Lama at 5pm, 6pm, 8pm and 9pm on Aug 3, 9 and 10.
Elsewhere, there is the "Three Generations, One Jazzy Heartbeat" concert featuring The Stacey Wei Quartet at Majestic Theatre at 8pm on Aug 3.
Up next is "129BPM - Contemporary Hip Hop Dance Theatre" produced by H2Q Dance Company and managed by Morua, at Dewan Sri Pinang on Aug 4 and 5, starting at 8pm both nights.
Look out for the specially commissioned work "Waris" taking place at Pengkalan Nelayan Paramount (off Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah) at 6pm on Aug 8 and 9. This evocative, site-specific performance celebrates the rhythms of the sea and the ancestral wisdom of the fishermen's last living heirs.
"Between Light and Grey: A Double Bill of Puppetry" takes place at The Whiteaways Arcade at 3pm and 8pm on Aug 9, and then 3pm on Aug 10. Enjoy two distinct but complementary works by artists trained in contemporary puppetry in Taiwan, which explore themes of memory, identity, and transitions between childhood and adulthood.
Also playing on Aug 9 and 10, but at 8pm in Dewan Sri Pinang, is "Birdy" - a captivating dance piece by Lai Hung-chung that explores the interplay of freedom and limitations.
Besides these highlights, there are numerous other exciting ones to experience among GTF 2025's 50-strong line-up of dance, music, theatre, photography and visual arts programmes.
It includes "The City of Willows", a playable art installation by Chong Yan Chuah and Simon Soon with curatorial direction by Wei Ming, which was inspired by the hidden histories of 19th-century Chinese secret societies. This is held at Ng Fook Thong Temple and open from noon to 7pm daily.
The "Living the Tanjong Life" exhibition offers a heartfelt tribute to the late cartoonist Azmi Hussin and is held at LUMA from 10am to 6pm daily. Meanwhile, "Symbiosis: Crab Chronicle" is also open from 11am to 7pm at The Whiteaways Arcade and allows visitors to explore Penang's ecosystems from the perspective of its crabs via virtual reality.
At Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, Neoh Shin Yen's "A Debt of Time" outdoor installation ponders themes of impermanence, connection and memory. Best to visit between late morning and early evening, as shifting sunlight casts shadows on the ground to bring a poem to life.
For the full list of programmes, visit www.georgetownfestival.com.
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