KUALA LUMPUR, 16 October 2026 (The Capital Post) – The ASEAN Artpreneur Retreat 2026 (AAR 2026) brought together emerging and established creative entrepreneurs in Kuala Lumpur to strengthen business skills, encourage regional collaboration and support the growth of ASEAN’s creative economy.
Held from 7 to 14 October 2026 under the theme “Innovate and Elevate”, the retreat provided participants with practical learning opportunities to develop their creative ideas into commercially viable products and services.
The programme featured sessions with industry practitioners Dora Harun, Audrey Chew, Chong Fei Giap of Loka Made and Abdul Shakir, also known as Grasshopper, who shared insights into creative entrepreneurship and business development.
Participants also visited several cultural and creative landmarks in Kuala Lumpur, including Central Market, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, Ilham Gallery and Muzium Telekom.
The visits aimed to expose participants to the city’s cultural heritage and evolving creative industry while encouraging the development of new business ideas.
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Collaborative workshops and practical sessions led by YAE! alumni, including Emir Nazren, provided opportunities for participants to refine their business concepts and develop market-ready products inspired by Visit Malaysia 2026.
The retreat also featured mentorship discussions focusing on product-based and service-based creative businesses, helping participants strengthen their proposals ahead of an upcoming pitching session and product showcase.
Through these activities, AAR 2026 sought to equip creative entrepreneurs with the knowledge, industry connections and business skills needed to expand their opportunities across ASEAN.
According to a post on the official Facebook page of Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya Malaysia, the programme supports creative entrepreneurship by encouraging innovation, collaboration and sustainable business development within the regional creative industry – The Capital Post
