The national art gallery will host the pustaka imaginasi 2026 open day this saturday as part of efforts to strengthen its role as a reference centre and repository for information on artists and visual art resources.:he National Art Gallery will host the Pustaka Imaginasi 2026 Open Day this Saturday as part of efforts to strengthen its role as a reference centre and repository for information on artists and visual art resources.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the National Art Gallery stated that the programme, which will run from 9 am to 5 pm, also aims to promote reading, broaden knowledge and encourage critical thinking and creativity among the public. The open day will feature a range of activities centred on art, reading, and creativity, including storytelling and poetry recitation competitions, a book discussion session, as well as sales and exhibition spaces for visitors.
The storytelling competition will be based on artworks from the National Art Gallery's Permanent Collection, with participants creating stories inspired by the imagination, emotions, characters, or messages drawn from the selected works. It is open to children aged seven to 12 and is divided into two categories: Level 1 for those aged seven to nine and Level 2 for those aged 10 to 12. Twenty artworks have been selected as references, comprising 12 works from the Recent Acquisition exhibition at Gallery 2A and eight from the Cinta Buatan Malaysia 79-89 exhibition at the Tun Razak Gallery.
The poetry recitation competition is open to participants aged 13 and above under the theme 'Seni, Imaginasi dan Kemanusiaan' (Art, Imagination and Humanity). Participants must select and recite a poem from the National Art Gallery's publication Koleksi Puisi: 55 Koleksi 55 Penulis 55 Puisi. The Sembang Santai Buku session will focus on books as sources of knowledge, inspiration, and reference to deepen appreciation of art, history, and culture. It will feature a discussion of Mohamed Salehuddin's novel Hidup Berjuang, which chronicles the experiences of communities during the Second World War, while highlighting the links between literature, history, and creative thinking.
Visitors will also have access to artist registration and biography update services, NAG Friends membership registration, advice on the Arts Assistance Fund, and sales booths. The National Art Gallery expressed its appreciation to the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation through Selangor Fruit Valley, Dermally Malaysia, Gardenia Malaysia, iGroup Malaysia through Access Dunia Sdn Bhd, as well as Lemonjar Software Media Sdn Bhd and Wonderbuuk through Edge Tech Engineering, for their support and cooperation as sponsoring partners of the Pustaka Imaginasi 2026 Open Day.
Members of the public are invited to attend the programme, with further details available on the National Art Gallery's official website www.artgallery.gov.my and social media channels.