World Culture Festival Karachi ‘26 brings artists from across the globe to the city by the sea | Instep | thenews.pk
World Culture Festival Karachi ‘26 brings artists from across the globe to the city by the sea
The 25-day festival opened on October 29 with an international programme featuring theatre, music, dance, film and visual arts, in partnership with GEO
arachi is hosting the third edition of the World Culture Festival as the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi launched the event on October 29, in partnership with GEO. International artists and delegates have begun arriving in the city ahead of the festival.
Running until November 22, the festival is expected to bring together more than 1,000 international artists representing 150 countries, alongside over 500 Pakistani artists. Its programme includes music, theatre, dance, film, fine arts and other creative disciplines, offering audiences an opportunity to experience artistic traditions from around the world.
The scale of this year’s gathering builds on previous editions. The second World Culture Festival, which concluded in December 2025 after a 39-day run, hosted more than 1,000 artists from 142 countries, according to the Sindh government. This growing international participation reflects the Arts Council’s ambition to establish Karachi as a meeting point for artists and cultural practitioners.
Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, Arts Council Karachi president Mohammad Ahmed Shah highlighted the festival’s international reach, noting that artists from countries including the United States, Russia, Iran and Ukraine were expected to participate. The programme also includes Palestinian theatre groups and artists from Latin America.
The festival aims to encourage creative exchange amid ongoing international conflicts.
The opening day features a hip-hop dance performance by French group Zigzag, followed by a qawwali night with Hamza Akram Qawwal and Brothers. Subsequent events include non-verbal physical theatre, international dance performances and concerts by Pakistani musicians.
For local audiences, the festival offers a chance to experience forms of performance that may not regularly feature on Karachi’s cultural calendar, while giving Pakistani artists a platform alongside visiting performers. According to the organisers, 85 percent of the programmes will be free, although registration is required. Audiences should consult the official festival schedule for event details and registration arrangements.
Over the coming weeks, the festival will bring together artists from Pakistan and abroad, creating opportunities for artistic collaboration and cross-cultural exchange.
