Everybody, clap your hands! Music lovers and soulful singers were in abundance at the recent instalment of the Kuching International Busking Festival. Featuring over 40 acts from across the performing arts spectrum, including music, dance, Chinese opera, and public speaking, the event brought alive key areas of movement in the city as Carpenter Street, the Kuching Waterfront, India Street and Plaza Merdeka. According to a statement by the organisers, this is not just simply a busking festival but a celebration of Kuching’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant community spirit.
“With the involvement of local schools like St. Thomas, St. Mary’s, Saint Teresa, SMK Batu Lintang, and Matang Vocational College, the festival showcases the incredible talent of young performers while also offering a platform for seasoned artists.” According to co-organiser Olivia Ling, the idea for the festival came from one of the organisers, Mike Lim — a well-known and well-loved member of the community described as having boundless energy. He experienced a similar concept of music festival and wanted to not just bring the concept back over to Kuching, but to adapt it so that the performing arts scene has a place to grow and those singing diamonds in the rough — well, the world’s their stage!
