Calligraphy and Unity Motif Arts Festival 2025

Scripts and Motifs Across Cultures

For the first time, calligraphers and artists from different communities and ethnic groups will share one stage in Kota Kinabalu.

This festival showcases writing traditions and pattern-making to demonstrate how heritage can resonate in the present day.

What is calligraphy?

It is the art of beautiful writing by hand. It emphasizes stroke, rhythm, spacing, and balance.

You will see a variety of scripts used across communities in Malaysia, including Jawi, Chinese characters, Tamil, and the Latin alphabet.

Artists will demonstrate how a single brush or pen can create form and meaning, from bold headlines to delicate letterforms.

What are unity motif arts?

Unity motif arts draw on patterns and symbols found in textiles, beadwork, woodcarving, and other crafts. These motifs carry stories about nature, place, and identity.

Examples include woven geometric repeats, floral and leaf forms, waves and clouds, and symbols that mark community heritage across Sabah and Malaysia.

The festival showcases how these motifs travel between materials and illustrates how shared shapes can connect cultures.

What will you see?

• Live demonstrations by calligraphers and motif artists
• Short talks and a forum on tradition and contemporary practice
• An exhibition of calligraphy pieces and crafted patterns.
• There will be try-out tables where you can test brushes, pens, and simple motif-making.
• Friendly guides will be available to help children and first-timers.

Writing and patterns are two everyday arts that influence how we read, dress, and decorate. By learning the stories behind them, we build respect for each other and maintain strong living traditions.