MAP Fest 2019 featuring more than 1,000 artists and performers in 50 events over 3 weekends

The 9th annual arts and cultural festival MAP Fest 2019 will showcase more than 1,000 artists and performers in 50 events over a period of 3 weekends throughout Publika Shopping Gallery from March 30 to April 14.

Aizat Amdan at Publika Earth Hour Celebration

MAP Fest is an annual community event of arts and cultural showcase with a variety of unique activities and acts lined up for arts aficionados, youths and families to enjoy and participate throughout the festival.

The main aim of the festival is to develop the community and to build an appreciation amongst the public to various forms and levels of arts. The festival showcases international award-winning acts as well as exceptional local theatre productions, dance, music, busking by lyrical poets, singer-songwriters, bands, cultural performances, arts installation and workshops from Malaysia and other countries. Admission to experience the festival is free. Utilising Publika as a canvas, the festival offers visitors artistic activities at Publika Shopping Gallery, showcasing a multitude of artistic styles and art form. 

BilMusa Aimanness at
A Very Indie Showcase

Hameer Zawawi at
Singer Songwriter Round

 The performances are specially curated to educate and relate to Malaysian conditions, developing new audiences and appreciation of the arts and making it more inclusive to the public. “We hope that throughout this festival, we are able to contribute towards the value-add the creative industry in hope of building a creative nation,’’ said UEM Sunrise Berhad Managing Director and CEO Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib. “We are providing an opportunity for international and local artists as well as performers to interact with each other, sharing their expertise and skills, and additionally as a platform to showcase their works in the public.

We hope to attract international visitors and domestic tourists; and to spread awareness of Kuala Lumpur as a creative hub,’’ he added. MAP Fest 2019 celebration kicks off with the Earth Hour celebrations on March 30 from 6pm-10pm with Green Beat Live’s eco-friendly music performance by drummer and percussionist Lewis Pragasam. It will be followed by performances from JOOX music streaming platform’s Rasa Sayang Live Hour featuring Amir Hasan, Sissy Imann and Aizat Amdan.

NADIR BAND at A Very
Indie Showcase

From 8.30pm to 9.30pm, we will be having the lights off for Earth Hour with a dance performance by Kwang Tung Dance Company to remind us of the dangers of polluting the earth. Another highlight is Bolivian Kharito’s Magic Flutes who will be presenting a slot on Andean music using various bamboo instruments. 

The Impatient Sister at
Music Imagery

This will be followed by LED and fire Dance reminiscence of winter in Russia by PR Entertainment as well as drum performances by Orang Orang Drum Theatre. Publika will also be working with several of its tenants namely The Joke Factory for a series of children’s workshops and The Bee for live music performances. Another collaborator is the Malaysian Emerging Artist Award (MEAA), a biennial competition with the main goal to honor and recognise Malaysia’s most promising young talents to provide them the opportunity to break into the local and international art scene. 

shh...diam! at INDIEKARYA

There will also be several music gigs such as A Very Indie Showcase, a local independent platform that showcases homegrown Malaysian talent such as Nadir. Founded by singer-songwriter Brendan de Cruz featuring Bil Musa, Kyoto Protocol, Prakash Daniel and Patricia K. Indiekarya is a showcase of bands that ply their trade regularly in the Klang Valley circuit. The four bands chosen to reflect a snapshot of the local indie scene includes Geelanagig, Kirsten Long, Azmyl Yunor and Orkes Padu and Shh…Diam! Other poetry reading, performances and workshops will be organised by Poetry Café Kuala Lumpur and Poets Passport MY. 

Transform Through Laughter
By  Harith Iskander

In order to enhance the skill sets of festival goers, we have also prepared several workshops such as poetry slam, creative arts, drama acting, scriptwriting, kids magic, comedy script writing, batik painting and communication workshops. For the fitness buff, there will be a parkour beginners free-running workshop by Arch Flow Movement as well as a recycle percussion workshop by Orang Orang Drum Theatre using household items.

For the full schedule of performances and more details, please go to Publika Gallery or MAPKL Facebook Page.