Students, artists and filmmakers from around the world are preparing to come together to take part in Art Beats Festival, an international programme of exhibitions, performances and events which will this year mark 20-years of the Lancaster-Sunway University partnership.

Established in 2023, Art Beats is an international festival jointly organised by Lancaster University and Sunway University in Malaysia, alternating its host campus each year.

This year’s festival, from 3 to 6 September, is shaped around three themes: Crossing, Future Memories, and The Power of Two, exploring movement, memory and what becomes possible when different people, cultures and creative practices come together.

Watch: What is Art Beats Festival?

Sunway students will travel to Lancaster University to work alongside its students through workshops, masterclasses and an intensive creative production programme.

Works submitted by artists and filmmakers from the wider international community will also be showcased through physical and online exhibitions.

Festival Co-Director Dr Maryam Ghorbankarimi said: “Art Beats started with a simple idea: to create a space where our students could meet, make work together and learn from one another, while also building a platform that connects artists internationally.

“It feels particularly meaningful to bring the festival back to Lancaster as we celebrate 20 years of the Lancaster–Sunway partnership. The Power of Two could not be a more fitting theme for what Art Beats represents.”

Sky Fong, who participated in Art Beats in 2023 before becoming a festival coordinator in 2024 and 2026, added: “I went to Malaysia as part of Art Beats Festival in 2023, and it was such an eye-opening experience, not only experiencing a new place but also collaborating artistically with Sunway students.

“I am honoured to be working as a festival coordinator. Seeing how other students are becoming just as inspired as I was, is the most rewarding experience.”

The official opening takes place at 5pm on Friday 4 September at the Nuffield Theatre, with welcome speeches followed by It’s Time to Move, a short performance by Fatima Noor Al Sahar. Guests will then move to Lancaster University Library for the exhibition and a drinks reception.

Art Beats Festival 2026 runs from 3 to 6 September at Lancaster University and online, and is open to all. Visit the Art Beats Festival website and explore the festival archive.