DiAbolution, one of the featured groups, is to perform at Spring Fest from Feb 24 to 25.
THE Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) launched its programme of artistic events for 2024, beginning with the inaugural Damansara Children’s Arts and Culture Carnival.
The carnival is DPAC’s first venture into organising a children’s arts event and is scheduled to run from Feb 29 to March 3.
The launch was attended by National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) Selangor director Khairul Anuar Samsuddin, Malaysia’s Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Cultural Division director Ellen Ko and Russian Science and Culture Centre representative Ameera Tatiana, as well as representatives from Yayasan Sime Darby and digital venue and ticketing platform CloudJoi.
DPAC founder Datin Jane Lew (pic) said the carnival would serve as a platform to showcase children’s talents, by igniting their creativity through workshops, performances and interactive tutorials.
Children would have the chance to spend an art-filled evening in the theatre and enjoy specially designed art performances, she said.
They will be given the opportunity to participate in various art workshops including for painting, crafts, dance, music, and drama.
DPAC has invited professional artists and educators to carry out interactive lectures, sharing their knowledge and expertise in the field by providing first-hand experience of arts.
A family and children’s activity zones will be set up, encouraging parents and children to participate together and strengthen their relationships.
There will also be a children’s market by the children, for the children.
Children can create personalised sachets at the sachet-making workshop while parents can learn acupressure points for growth and improving overall health at the traditional Chinese medicine workshop.
There will also be “Messy Play,” for children to explore various materials to promote sensory and creative development.
Farm in the City, as its name suggests, allows children to reconnect with nature and learn about flora and fauna, immersing themselves in Mother Nature’s beauty.
Workshops, courses and entrance tickets are available at a reduced rate for those interested in delving further into the experience.
DPAC has also invited CloudJoi to collaborate and present eight theatre performances, featuring the Bottle Man Magic Troupe from Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur Shakespeare Company promoting drama education, renowned Penang pianist Dr Esther Shin, Johor Baru Children’s Arts Society and Dance Space academy.
In addition to the Damansara Children’s Arts and Culture Carnival, the Spring Fest 2024 is scheduled for Feb 24 and 25, featuring a diverse range of performances including dance, music, Cantonese opera, diabolo, and lion dance.
This marks DPAC’s return to hosting Chinese New Year festivities after a three-year hiatus.
In addition to the varied performance lineup, DPAC will set up a lantern riddle street and offer a series of discount vouchers.
A highlight is the lion dance performance by ShiYuan Dragon and Lion Dance Sports.
During the launch event, Lew announced the formal establishment of DPAC’s Persatuan Kebudayaan Dan Kesenian Damansara.
“As the founder of this non-profit association, we uphold the idea of bringing people together through arts education, thereby promoting the development of art and culture, such as the ‘Adopt an Artist’ programme and International Art Exchange Programmes.
“All of these will provide more creative opportunities and educational resources for Malaysia’s art community,” she said.
The launch event concluded with a Diabolo performance by DiAbolution, one of the groups that will be performing at the Spring Fest 2024.
