Labuan:The Borneo Arts Festival (BAF) 2026 is significantly enhancing Labuan's status as a vibrant arts, culture, and heritage tourism hub in the Borneo region, as stated by Datuk Mohammad Azmi Mohd Zain, director-general of the Department of Federal Territories (JWP).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the three-day festival, held from September 25 to 27, is not just a cultural event but has evolved into a creative arts tourism center attracting both local and international talents. At the festival's opening at the Financial Park Convention Hall, Azmi highlighted the positive energy and artistic diversity present at the event, which celebrates various forms of arts, culture, and heritage.
The festival offers a wide array of activities, including stage performances, competitions, fashion showcases, interactive art workshops, handicraft exhibitions, and a street food bazaar. Notable events are the Borneo Creative Dance Competition, Tingkah Geruh competition, and the Instrumental Sounds of Borneo musical showcase. Additionally, it features fashion presentations of modern and traditional ethnic designs by local designers, along with workshops in handicrafts, batik, and painting.
Visitors can immerse themselves in local food, cultural products, artworks, and traditional handicrafts through the festival's exhibitions and bazaar. BAF, which has been organized for 13 years, is recognized as a successful initiative under the Socio-Cultural and Education cluster of the BIMP-EAGA, which includes Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Azmi emphasized that the festival's consistent organization demonstrates its success in uniting diverse artistic and cultural expressions. The BAF 2026 aligns with JWP and Labuan Corporation's commitment to establishing Labuan as a leading cultural tourism destination and events-based tourism hub in the region.
He also pointed out that the festival is expected to boost the local economy by attracting visitors and providing benefits to various sectors, including hospitality, transportation, and food services. Azmi encouraged artists, cultural practitioners, and visitors to use the festival as a platform to promote Borneo's cultural heritage globally, urging them to share their experiences on social media to reach a worldwide audience.