Children and families are coming together to celebrate Malaysia’s cultural diversity through art, creativity and shared experiences as Artsense Carnival 2026: Colours of Malaysia takes place at Megah Rise Mall, Petaling Jaya, from 4 to 6 September 2026.
Built around the idea of seeing Malaysia through the eyes of children, the three day carnival brings Malaysian heritage to life through experiences that young participants can see, create and take part in, including traditional art and cultural workshops, performances, competitions and exhibitions.
Among the key attractions are the Malaysia Art & Culture Workshops, where children can explore Batik, Wayang Kulit paper puppetry, Deepavali decorations, felt Chinese fan making and Merdeka themed painting through hands on activities.
The carnival also features the “100 Sun Bear, 100 Malaysian Stories” Art Exhibition, alongside a Kids Bazaar and a series of performances and competitions throughout the weekend.
Saturday’s programme includes the CMDC Dance Competition by Dance Zone, International Children Drawing Contest by JCI Petaling Jaya, Public Speaking by ChampsMan Academy and a Kids DJ Performance by DJS Playground.
The programme continues on Sunday with an award presentation for the “100 Sun Bear” Art Certificates, another CMDC Dance Competition and Kids DJ Performance.
Founder and Director of Artsense, Shawn Yap, said seeing children experience and interpret Malaysia’s culture through their own creativity reflects the vision behind the carnival.
“Seeing the children experience Malaysia’s culture through art and then express it in their own way is exactly what we hoped to achieve with Artsense Carnival. What makes it even more meaningful is seeing children of different backgrounds and abilities creating and learning together. We hope this experience encourages them to stay curious about the culture, places and stories that make Malaysia unique,” said Shawn.
At the heart of the carnival is also a commitment to inclusion and community, with the National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) participating as the carnival’s Charity Partner.
Children from NASOM are taking part alongside other young participants, creating an inclusive space where children of different abilities can create, learn and experience art together.
The initiative forms part of Artsense Studio’s wider CSR efforts to provide opportunities for creative expression and participation, while artwork from the autism community is also featured at the carnival. This builds on the inclusive community focus established by Artsense for the initiative.
The carnival also features the “Malaysia Through Your Eyes” drawing and colouring competition, organised in collaboration with JCI Petaling Jaya, bringing together 100 young participants to express what Malaysia means to them through art.
Supported by Tourism Malaysia and Tourism Selangor, the carnival connects children’s creativity with the country’s wider cultural and tourism narrative.
The initiative also complements Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Selangor 2026 by encouraging families to discover Malaysia’s heritage, stories and destinations through a different perspective.
Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Selangor, Chua Yee Ling, said the carnival demonstrates how creativity can help families and younger generations form stronger connections with Malaysia’s cultural and tourism offerings.
“Artsense Carnival has shown how art and creativity can introduce children and families to Malaysia’s culture and heritage in an engaging way. When children experience these stories through activities they can participate in and enjoy, it creates a different connection with the places and traditions around them. Initiatives like this complement our efforts to encourage families to discover and appreciate more of what Selangor and Malaysia have to offer,” said Chua.
Co organised by Megah Rise Mall, the carnival is supported by organisations across the tourism, business, community and creative sectors, with Golden Destinations as Travel Partner, NASOM as Charity Partner and Global Creative & Media Agency (GCMA) as Official Publicist, alongside its strategic, media, performance and collaboration partners.
Starting in Selangor, Artsense hopes to develop the carnival into an annual nationwide platform celebrating Malaysia’s diversity, with future editions targeting Melaka, Johor and Penang.
The initiative aims to give more children across the country an opportunity to tell Malaysia’s story through their own creativity.
Artsense Carnival 2026: Colours of Malaysia is open to the public with free entry at Megah Rise Mall, Petaling Jaya, until 6 September 2026.
The carnival is organised by Artsense and co organised by Megah Rise Mall, with Tourism Malaysia and Tourism Selangor as Supporting Partners.
Golden Destinations serves as Travel Partner, while the National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) is the Charity Partner and Global Creative & Media Agency (GCMA) is the Official Publicist.
Other partners include Signmastr Advertising as Printing Partner, alongside strategic partners Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA), Malaysia Digital Chamber of Commerce (MDCC), Malaysia Budget & Business Hotel Association (MyBHA), Persatuan Usahawan Maju Malaysia (PUMM), Junior Chamber International Petaling Jaya (JCI PJ), and Malaysia Fashion, Modeling, and Pageant Association (MFMPA).
A One School and Pamame are Media Partners, while Dance Zone Performing Arts Academy, DJs Playground and ChampsMan Academy serve as Performance Partners.
Collaboration Partners include Famous Amos, Fei Fei Crab Restaurant, Face Bar, Zoey’s Homemade, Tea’Sane, KS Innovative and Artopus.
