KOTA KINABALU, SABAH | 16 September 2026 – Installation Art by the Bay @ KK (IAKK) returns for its 13th edition from 16 to 20 September 2026, transforming the Segama Waterfront Boardwalk, Kota Kinabalu City Centre, into an open-air showcase of creativity, environmental awareness and community participation.
This year’s theme, “Second Chance – Nature Reimagined,” challenges artists and the community to look at discarded materials differently — not simply as waste, but as materials that can be given a second life through creativity.
The 2026 edition will feature 11 locally created upcycled installations, alongside two overseas installations from participating artists in Singapore and Denmark, bringing together diverse perspectives on sustainability and the environment.
The artworks are created using a wide range of reusable, recyclable and discarded materials, including scrap metal, polycarbonate sheets, plastic bottles and containers, CDs, discarded plastic bags and natural garden waste. Through the transformation of these everyday materials into large-scale threedimensional artworks, the installations invite the public to reflect on consumption, waste and humanity’s relationship with nature.
Each installation carries its own message and interpretation of environmental issues and sustainability. Collectively, the artworks create a visual conversation about the choices we make as individuals, communities, businesses and society.
The world today faces not only a climate crisis but also growing challenges of waste and public health. In response, IAKK2026 seeks to harness creativity and art as a powerful catalyst for action. At its core, the annual event is committed to advancing environmental and sustainability awareness. It is designed to create meaningful community art experiences that encourage more sustainable choices, promote Eco-Art Tourism as a signature attraction in Sabah, and strengthen both local and global connections through an active online art community on Facebook and WhatsApp—ensuring the dialogue on art and environmental stewardship continues well beyond the event.
Installation Art by the Bay KK 2026 (IAKK2026) is proudly supported by the Kementerian Pelancongan, Kebudayaan dan Alam Sekitar Sabah (KePKAS). The initiative is held in collaboration with the Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK), Lembaga Kebudayaan Negeri Sabah (LKNS), Balai Seni Lukis Sabah (BSLS), and the Sabah Tourist Association (STA). The event brings together a wide network of participants, including social groups, schools, colleges, artists, NGOs, tour agencies, as well as international artists from Singapore and Denmark (via online participation).
IAKK2026 Core Committee Members consists of Professor Dr. Awangku Hassanal Bahar Pengiran Bagul – Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Mdm. Christianne Goonting – Owner, Lavinia Private Art Gallery, Mdm. Fauziahton Awang Samad – Director of Research, Innovation & International Affairs, DBKK, Mdm. Pauline Chin – Director of Sales, Truly Borneo Tours & Events, Mdm. Sara Elisya Ahmad Shah – Director, Sabah Art Gallery. Mdm. Eva Anani Baggai – Deputy Director (Administration), Sabah Art Gallery & Ms. Intan Munirah Hamzah – Deputy Director (Visual & Craft), Sabah Art Gallery.
The public is warmly invited to visit the Segama Waterfront Boardwalk from 16 to 20 September 2026 to experience the installations and engage with the stories behind the artworks.
The organisers anticipate more than 3,000 visitors throughout the event.
To further extend the reach and impact of IAKK2026, photographs and videos documenting the installations and activities will be shared through facebook.com/installationartkk/ The digital outreach will provide wider audiences with an opportunity to engage with the artworks and their environmental messages, while encouraging greater awareness, reflection and meaningful action towards sustainability.
Local and International Participation The 2026 edition brings together a diverse group of creative teams and participants, including:
• GB Prime-Creation
• The Mansons
• Arts by Dion
• Ecogeeks
• Ecohearts
• JF Production
• Camp Borneo Tours & Travel
• Deco Art Team
• Upcycle Shack
• Meraki Daat
• Coconut Tree
• TaPeSStry 2.0 – Tampines Secondary School, Singapore
• SAARA and Family / SH-Art Studio, Denmark
