Artsense Carnival Puts Inclusion And Autism At Heart Of Creative Celebration | KiddyNews

Children from the autism community joined other young participants at Artsense Carnival 2026, highlighting how inclusive arts activities can create shared spaces for children and families to experience Malaysia’s cultural diversity together.

Held at Megah Rise Mall, Petaling Jaya, from Sept 4 to 6, the three-day carnival was organised by Artsense and co-organised by Megah Rise Mall. The event brought children and families together through art, cultural activities, performances and competitions.

The National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) participated as the carnival’s Charity Partner, with children from the organisation taking part alongside other participants. Artwork created by members of the autism community was also showcased during the event.

Creating Space For Every Child

Inclusion formed an important part of the carnival, alongside its focus on Malaysia’s cultural heritage.

Through shared creative activities, children had opportunities to participate in the same community event while expressing themselves through different forms of art.

The carnival also featured the “Malaysia Through Your Eyes” drawing and colouring competition, organised with JCI Petaling Jaya, which involved 100 young participants.

The activities provided children with opportunities to engage with their surroundings through drawing, colouring and other creative experiences.

Learning Culture Through Creativity

Artsense Carnival 2026: Colours of Malaysia also introduced children to Malaysia’s heritage through hands-on workshops.

The Malaysia Art & Culture Workshops included activities inspired by Batik, Wayang Kulit paper puppetry, Deepavali decorations, felt Chinese fan-making and Merdeka-themed painting.

Artsense founder and director Shawn Yap said the carnival was created to allow children to interpret Malaysian culture through their own creativity.

“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,” he said.

Bringing Families And Communities Together

Beyond the workshops, the carnival featured the “100 Sun Bear, 100 Malaysian Stories” Art Exhibition, a Kids Bazaar, performances and competitions.

The programme included a dance competition, an international children’s drawing contest, public speaking activities and a Kids DJ Performance, followed by an award presentation and further performances on Sunday.

Supported by Tourism Malaysia and Tourism Selangor, the carnival also formed part of the wider Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Selangor 2026 narratives, encouraging families to explore the country’s cultural heritage, destinations and stories.

Tourism Selangor CEO Chua Yee Ling said creative activities could help younger generations build stronger connections with Malaysia’s culture and tourism offerings.

Artsense hopes to develop the carnival into an annual nationwide platform, with future editions potentially expanding to Melaka, Johor and Penang.

For children with autism and their families, the participation of NASOM also added an important dimension to the event: creating opportunities for children with different needs to be visible, included and part of shared community experiences.

Source:

Citizens Journal – “Artsense Carnival celebrates Malaysia’s diversity through creativity”

Thoughtfully adapted by KiddyNews. Keeping parents and educators informed with the latest ECCE developments from Malaysia and beyond.