Krishen Jit Fund Continues to Nurture Malaysian Creativity

Behind every meaningful creative project is often someone who believes in an idea before the rest of the world gets to see it.

For Malaysian artists and arts practitioners, the Krishen Jit Fund has been doing exactly that for the past 21 years, providing financial support to deserving individuals who want to explore new ideas, experiment with different art forms and bring their creative visions to life.

In 2026, the Fund continues this mission by awarding seven grants worth a total of RM61,000 to Malaysian creatives working across different areas of the arts.

From a Tamil-language comedy drama about a village facing displacement to a bilingual children's storybook and an experimental video essay, this year's selected projects reflect the diversity, imagination and originality of Malaysia's creative community.

More than just financial assistance, the grants represent an opportunity for artists to take creative risks, explore unfamiliar approaches and share stories that might otherwise struggle to find the support they need.

The Krishen Jit Fund was established in 2006 by Astro, in collaboration with Five Arts Centre, in memory of the late Dato’ Krishen Jit, one of Malaysia's pioneering theatre practitioners.

The Fund was officially announced and launched by Astro on April 28, 2006, during Utih…Celebrating Krishen, a commemorative event held on the first anniversary of his passing.

Krishen was known for his groundbreaking approach to theatre and his commitment to celebrating original Malaysian creativity in all its forms.

His work brought together different artistic disciplines, cultures and languages, often challenging conventional boundaries. He explored the spaces between tradition and contemporary pop culture, academia and artistic practice, Hollywood and Bollywood, as well as mainstream and marginalised communities.

Through his work, he encouraged artists and audiences to look at Malaysian identity as something constantly evolving, shaped by different experiences, perspectives and voices.

That same spirit continues to guide the Fund today.

Over the years, its support has helped artists pursue training, workshops, residencies, experimental productions, writing and the creation of new work in areas such as music, dance, theatre, film, visual arts and performance art.

The Fund also received the support of SK Chambers in 2019, when it became known as the Krishen Jit Fund, supported by Astro and SK Chambers. In 2020, Creador Foundation replaced SK Chambers as a supporter, and the Fund is now known as the Krishen Jit Fund, supported by Astro and Creador Foundation.

Reaching its 21st year is a significant milestone for the Fund, particularly in a creative landscape where independent artists and emerging practitioners often need opportunities and resources to develop their work.

From 2006 to 2025, the Krishen Jit Fund awarded 103 grants amounting to RM783,000. This year, it is adding another seven grants worth RM61,000 to that legacy. Each grant supports a different creative vision, showing how Malaysian art can take many forms and explore a wide range of subjects.

Here are the seven artists and creative projects selected to receive this year's grants:

1. Ananth Subramaniam – Society of Bones

Ananth Subramaniam will develop Society of Bones, a 15-minute Tamil-language comedy drama about a village facing displacement.

The story takes an unexpected turn when local children discover prehistoric bones buried beneath their village, bringing an unusual discovery into a community already facing uncertainty about its future.

2. Kuik Yi Ke – Jalan in the Dream

Through Jalan in the Dream, Kuik Yi Ke will present a cross-media exhibition exploring the animistic cosmologies of the Semaq Beri and Jah Hut communities in Pahang.

The project offers an artistic exploration of the ways these communities understand and relate to the world around them.

3. Loh Kok Man – Smuggling Dreams

Loh Kok Man's Smuggling Dreams is a 60-minute interdisciplinary performance that brings together puppetry, dance, multimedia and physical theatre.

By combining different artistic forms, the project explores the possibilities of storytelling beyond conventional performance.

4. Naque Ariffin – Web-based lighting design learning platform

Naque Ariffin will develop a web-based learning platform focused on lighting design for performing arts undergraduates.

The project aims to provide students with a digital learning resource to develop their understanding of lighting design, an important creative and technical element of theatre and live performance.

5. Okui Lala – Something in Me

Okui Lala's Something in Me is an experimental video essay that examines the human body as a space that is repeatedly mapped and interpreted.

The project takes an experimental approach to exploring the relationship between the body, identity and the ways people understand and perceive themselves.

6. Sarah Lois Dorai – Alai & Paren Go To Bario

Sarah Lois Dorai will support the development of Alai & Paren Go To Bario, a bilingual children's storybook written by Zoe Da’un Mariner in Kelabit and English.

By bringing together two languages in a children's story, the project contributes to creative storytelling while making space for the Kelabit language and cultural representation.

7. Zinc Chew – Resting Place: Reaching for the Sky, Belonging to the Earth

Zinc Chew's project, Resting Place: Reaching for the Sky, Belonging to the Earth, is a video exploring the shared script between a property agent and a grave broker.

The project brings two seemingly different professions into conversation, inviting audiences to consider their connections through an artistic lens.

The 2026 selection panel brought together individuals from the arts, cultural institutions, education, corporate organisations and the creative industry.

This year's panel comprised:

• Tuan Haji Saifulkhairi bin Ahmad, Director of the Arts and Culture Enhancement Division, National Department for Culture and Arts, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia.
• Jolyn Gasper, Senior AVP, Communications & Sustainability, Astro.
• Maha Subramaniam, Director, Creador Foundation.
• Iefiz Alaudin, Arts Educator & Practitioner, ASWARA & Main Theatre.
• Lim Ying Xian, Senior Manager, Programmes & Partnerships, GMBB.
• Ravi Navaratnam, Senior Advisor, Corporate Strategy, Minconsult Sdn. Bhd. and member of Five Arts Centre.

The Fund is administered and managed by Five Arts Centre, with grants supporting a range of creative pursuits, from professional development and artistic training to the production of new and experimental work.

Twenty-one years on, the Krishen Jit Fund remains a reminder that supporting the arts means more than simply funding a production or exhibition. It means believing in the people behind the ideas and giving them the space to experiment, question, create and tell stories in their own ways.

The seven projects selected this year may differ in their formats, themes and artistic approaches, but they share a common purpose: to expand the ways Malaysian stories and experiences can be expressed. And that is perhaps the most meaningful part of the Fund's legacy.

By continuing to support original, diverse and unconventional creative work, the Krishen Jit Fund keeps the late Dato’ Krishen Jit's vision alive, ensuring that Malaysian creativity continues to find new voices, new forms and new possibilities.

Image Credit : Meshalini - Five Arts Centre