Over four days in November 2022, the George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) returned to Penang for the first time since the pandemic lockdowns. GTLF is Malaysia’s largest international literary festival and is one of the best-recognised platforms for free speech in Malaysia.
We’re proud to have continued our support of this innovative festival held on 24 to 27 November 2022 and have shared key moments from the festival on our social media channels.
About GTLF
GTLF is Malaysia’s largest international literary festival. The festival believes in the power of expression and is committed to being one of the most urgent, vital and provocative literary festivals in the region. The year 2022 theme was ‘Taming the Wild’, exploring the complex relationship between Wilderness and Human Nature.
British Council supported works at GTLF 2022
- Borneo Bengkel’s sem/bunyi
Exhibition: 23-27 November, 12 - 7pm | Tour and sharing session: 26 November, 11am - 12pm | Spoken word performance: 27 November, 7pm onwards at Hin Bus Depot
Creative platform Borneo Bengkel presented an interactive exhibition sem/bunyi sharing selected works from Borneo Bengkel's 2020/2021 projects Soundbank and Lingua Franca produced by collaborators from across Borneo and the United Kingdom. The exhibition explored indigenous languages, folk music, and sounds from the world around them. (*Audience members are advised to bring earphones for the exhibition)
- The future of festivals
25 November, 2pm at Bangunan UAB - Multipurpose Hall (1st Floor)
A roundtable discussion examined ‘the future of festivals' focusing on festivals' form, content and purpose, its evolution and how festivals can continue to engage with communities throughout Malaysia and remain relevant for years to come. Moderated by Adam Pushkin, the panel includes Sharaad Kuttan, Nadira Ilana, Daniel Lim and Hardesh Singh.
Watch the panel discussion about the future of festivals below!
- New technology and creativity with The Poetry Society and UNBOXED
26 November, 7.30pm at Bangunan UAB - Multipurpose Hall (1st Floor)
A sharing session of About Us, one of ten innovative projects commissioned by UK festival, UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. Through arts and technology, About Us explored the infinite ways we are connected to the universe, the natural world and one another. The session featured a film accompanied by a talk on how the show was put together, focusing on the role of poetry in the creative process, and the project's community and schools engagement programme.
- Yee I-Lann in conversation
27 November, 12pm at Digital Penang - Event Room
One of Malaysia’s leading figures in the visual arts, Yee I-Lann, presented a deep dive into her British Council supported residency ‘Resonations’ at the British Library, the sharing session was focused on her work with the Library’s extensive sound archive collections and connection to Malaysia.