ANIFEST celebrates creative arts, ethics, and innovation

The eighth annual ANIFEST Creative Arts Festival drew thousands of attendees to KL Gateway Mall, uniting artists, creators, and enthusiasts under the theme “Creative Arts Integration.”

This year’s ANIFEST spotlighted the intersection of creative arts and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), offering a dynamic, hands-on environment that encouraged participants to explore art’s role in an increasingly digital world.

Ethical content creation for a digital era

A highlight of ANIFEST 2024 was the session titled “Etika Kandungan Berhemah,” led by the Content Forum, which underscored the importance of ethical content creation in Malaysia’s booming creative industry.

This session emphasised the role of ethics and responsibility in content creation, promoting a standard of values that enhance both professional and social accountability.

Attendees engaged in discussions on how ethical standards not only safeguard the integrity of creative work but also make Malaysian content more relatable and impactful on the global stage.

In addition, the Content Forum moderated a panel, “Wacana Kandungan: Integrasi Seni Kreatif dalam Era Digital,” featuring industry leaders such as Azrie Izham Hamzah, a lecturer at ASWARA; Azizan Ruba’an, Deputy Principal of PROFIMA Academy; and Dhiyat Muhaimin, winner of the Content Forum’s Animated Short Film Competition.

Together, the panellists explored the intersection of Malaysian culture with modern digital tools, discussing ways to elevate Malaysian arts internationally.

“Promoting Malaysia’s cultural heritage is essential—not just to preserve it, but to make it stand out globally,” said Azizan.

He urged local artists to embrace digital advancements, allowing their work to gain global recognition while enhancing Malaysia’s presence in the international arts arena.

ANIFEST Empowering Malaysia’s creative arts ecosystem

ANIFEST 2024 offered an interactive platform for artists, industry professionals, and the public to experience the latest trends in art, design, and tech-enhanced creativity.

The festival’s keynote speaker, Dr. Muliyadi Mahamood, former Professor of Art History and Cartoon Studies at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), stated, “This year’s ANIFEST reflects the multidisciplinary nature of today’s art world, spanning diverse technologies, academic disciplines, media, forms, styles, messages, and meanings.”

This approach, he added, highlights Malaysia’s diverse art scene as a foundation for both commercial and cultural innovation.

Activities included live demonstrations, immersive workshops, and showcases that illustrated the possibilities of integrating traditional art with digital media.

The festival’s inclusive approach fostered a sense of creative growth by merging art with technology and education, in line with ANIFEST’s mission to build a supportive platform for Malaysia’s creative talent.

This space enabled artists to display their work, forge new connections, and engage in dialogues that could shape the future of Malaysia’s art scene.

ANIFEST’s blend of art, ethics, and innovation presented a holistic festival experience that not only celebrated creativity but also reinforced Malaysia’s position as an emerging hub for cultural expression in Southeast Asia.

Through events like ANIFEST, Malaysian artists are encouraged to explore the global potential of their craft, with the support of a thriving local community.

ANIFEST 2024 successfully showcased the vibrant potential of Malaysia’s creative arts and highlighted the importance of ethics and innovation in content creation.