May 2024 marked another milestone for us with the Kuala Lumpur Illustration Fair (KLIF) 2024, held at GMBB KL. This year’s event was a tremendous success, breaking our own attendance record with over 8,500 visitors. Reflecting on the journey, I’m filled with pride and excitement for the future of our illustration community.
KLIF 2024 wasn’t just an art event; it was a vibrant celebration of creativity, talent, and international collaboration. The five-day fair was meticulously planned, featuring an incredible lineup of artists from Malaysia and around the world. Our goal was clear: to cultivate and elevate Kuala Lumpur’s illustration scene.
The event saw a diverse and talented lineup of artists, including notable names from asia such as Ardneks, Marcellia Liunic, Akinori Oishi and many more. We also had international artists from countries like Brazil, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, China, the United Kingdom, and Brunei joining the booths. This diversity brought a range of artistic styles and perspectives, making the fair a melting pot of creativity.
One of the highlights of KLIF 2024 was the sold-out conference that drew 120 attendees each day. We had distinguished speakers sharing their insights and experiences in the field of illustration. The launch of Pixorama, the Kuala Lumpur Augmented Reality Festival, was a significant moment, marking a new collaborative effort with illustration fairs from Manila, Jakarta, and Singapore. This initiative aimed to explore new avenues for creativity and innovation in the illustration community across Southeast Asia.
The fair attracted a diverse audience: art lovers (46.1%), artists/designers (26.8%), students (20.3%), tourists (4.1%), and business owners (1.7%). The positive feedback we received highlighted the successful connections and collaborations formed during the fair. It was rewarding to see our vision for the illustration scene in Malaysia starting to flourish.
Despite the overwhelming success, I couldn’t help but notice that we still faced challenges in attracting regular visitors. This brings up an interesting dilemma for future events: should we focus on well-planned, high-quality events that come with higher costs and ticket prices, or should we aim for maximum visitors with free entrance? It’s a delicate balance between quality and accessibility, and it’s something I’ll be pondering as we plan future events.
I am deeply committed to fostering a vibrant and flourishing illustration scene in Kuala Lumpur. The success of KLIF 2024 has reinforced my belief in the power of illustration to transform and connect.
I am determined to continue this journey, providing a platform for artists to showcase their talent and for the community to appreciate the art of illustration.
Looking ahead, we’ve also launched KLIF Gallery at GMBB – Level 3. The gallery operates from Tuesday to Sunday, 12 pm to 7 pm, and is closed every Monday.
I am hopeful for the future of art events in Malaysia and will keep striving to make KL Illustration Fair a landmark event for our community.
Lai 2024.
