Segamat is set to take centre stage in Johor’s cultural tourism landscape as Yayasan Johor Corporation (Yayasan JCorp), in collaboration with the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) Johor and Majlis Perbandaran Segamat (MPS), activates the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane as a new destination for heritage, creativity, community participation and local enterprise.
The activation forms a major highlight of Jelajah Pentas Seni Johor 2026 (PSJ26 Tour), taking place from 25 to 27 September 2026 at Dataran Segamat. It is the second stop in a five-district statewide journey that brings Johor’s cultural expression closer to communities while opening opportunities for artists, artisans, food entrepreneurs and emerging creative talent.
More than a three-day festival, the Segamat edition marks the beginning of a longer-term effort to position the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane as the Segamat Arts and Culture Development Centre; a public space where local stories are performed, heritage is experienced, talent is nurtured and creative livelihoods can grow.
The initiative was formalised through the exchange of a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) between Yayasan JCorp and MPS during the PSJ26 Tour launch ceremony on 26 September 2026. The MOC was exchanged by Dato’ Mizan bin Yahya, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan JCorp, on behalf of Yayasan JCorp, and Amirah Fadhilah binti Mahdzub, Architect Officer, on behalf of MPS. The agreement reflects the commitment of both organisations to jointly develop the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane as a vibrant and sustainable community arts and culture hub for arts, culture, community creativity and local economic participation.
A New Cultural Landmark for Segamat
For residents, the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane will offer a place to learn, create, gather and celebrate. For visitors, it will become an authentic gateway into the district’s people, flavours, traditions and cultural identity.
The lane is envisioned as a living creative corridor that will host regular arts classes, cultural workshops, talent-development programmes and community activities for children, youth, families and cultural practitioners. It will create a platform to identify, develop and showcase local artistic talent allowing traditional food, craft, design and artistic expression to become more visible, marketable and economically meaningful, while creating market-access opportunities for traditional food entrepreneurs through Yayasan JCorp’s W.A.R.O. (Warisan Asli, Rasa Original) Project and for artisans and handicraft entrepreneurs through Paso Kreatif.
Identity-based murals inspired by Segamat’s people, heritage and local stories will further enliven the public realm, enhance the district’s visual character and establish the area as a distinctive arts-and-culture Point of Interest for residents and visitors.
By connecting artistic practice, cultural participation, entrepreneurship and place-making, the initiative seeks to transform the lane from a physical passageway into a shared cultural asset: one where the community can see itself, tell its stories and generate new economic possibilities from its own distinctive heritage and creativity.
Segamat’s Many Cultures, One Johor Identity
Presented in collaboration with JKKN Johor through Festival Kota Selatan 2026, the Segamat programme carries the theme: “Nuansa Johor: Kepelbagaian Budaya, Satu Identiti Johor”.
The theme comes alive through a celebration of the Malay, Chinese, Indian, Javanese and Orang Asli communities that shape Segamat’s cultural landscape. Visitors to Dataran Segamat can experience Kemplingan, Lion Dance, Indian dance, Silat, Wushu and Silambam performances, alongside heritage games such as Gasing Pangkah Johor, Baling Selipar and Coconut Bowling.
The programme also includes the Teluk Belanga Walk, Borak Inspirasi Seni: Garis Panduan Persembahan Kuda Kepang, Doodle with Family, Rewang Pembuatan Bubur Kacang Durian, and Himpunan Ladies Bikers, as well as the Inspirasi Tari Johor and Rentap Menyalu competitions.
The programme is designed not only for audiences to watch but also for families and visitors to participate in. Traditional games, community cooking, live performances, cultural conversations and creative activities bring heritage out of display cases and back into public life.
From Festival Stage to Community Opportunity
Yayasan JCorp Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Mizan bin Yahya, said that bringing Pentas Seni Johor to the district level enables local communities to take ownership of their cultural strengths and transform them into opportunities.
“Pentas Seni Johor is not merely a performance stage. It is a platform for communities to share their stories, express their creativity and build opportunities from the strengths that already exist within their own district.”
“In Segamat, we want arts and culture to continue thriving within the community through the activation of spaces such as the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane. This is not only a place for arts activities—it is also a platform to develop local talent, strengthen community participation and create economic opportunities for creative entrepreneurs,” he said.
Dato’ Mizan added that every Johor district possesses its own identity, heritage, artistic talent, local flavours and cultural stories.
“Through the PSJ26 Tour, these local strengths can be shared with wider audiences. When arts, culture and heritage are activated meaningfully, they can create pride, participation, visitor interest and tangible benefits for communities and local creative-industry players,” he said.
Strengthening Tourism Through Authentic Local Experiences
The Segamat edition of PSJ26 Tour contributes to the wider Visit Johor 2026 and Visit Malaysia 2026 agendas by positioning local culture as an experience visitors can see, hear, taste, participate in and remember.
Rather than presenting Segamat simply as a stopover destination, the programme invites visitors to discover it as a district with a distinctive cultural personality shaped by multigenerational communities, traditional art forms, local food traditions, grassroots creativity and a strong sense of community.
The Segamat Arts and Culture Lane is expected to strengthen the district’s appeal by offering an authentic visitor experience rooted in place. Its identity-based murals, traditional food offerings, locally made products, live cultural programming and community-led activities can encourage visitors to spend more time in the town, explore beyond conventional attractions and support local businesses.
The initiative is enabled by a shared partnership in which Yayasan JCorp contributes community-development expertise, cultural activation and creative-enterprise opportunities; MPS supports local place activation and the development of a sustainable public-space ecosystem; JKKN Johor strengthens cultural programming, artistic development and heritage preservation; and the local community contributes cultural knowledge, participation, talent, entrepreneurship and stewardship of Segamat’s identity.
Together, these roles establish the foundation for an active and sustainable cultural ecosystem that creates value for communities while strengthening Segamat’s destination appeal.
For tourism stakeholders, the initiative represents a shift from event-based activation to place-based cultural development: creating a destination that can remain active, relevant and economically beneficial long after the festival concludes.
A Festival to Experience, A Space to Return To
Visitors to the Segamat edition of PSJ26 Tour can enjoy cultural performances, traditional games, local gastronomy and handicrafts throughout the weekend. The Warung Sajian Tradisi under the W.A.R.O. Project will offer local delicacies, while Paso Kreatif will showcase handcrafted products and creative works by local entrepreneurs.
As the “Membela” arm of Johor Corporation (JCorp), Yayasan JCorp continues to translate the Group’s commitment towards advancing environmental and social sustainability through the implementation of various high-impact initiatives, while expanding opportunities and benefits for communities in Johor and across Malaysia.
Through Pentas Seni Johor itself and PSJ26 Tour, Yayasan JCorp positions arts, culture and heritage not as peripheral activities, but as strategic drivers of community wellbeing, youth development, social connection, destination identity and inclusive local economic growth.
The activation of the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane signals a longer-term ambition: to establish a creative public space where culture is practised, heritage is passed on, local talent is discovered and community enterprise can flourish.
Segamat’s new cultural lane is therefore more than a new attraction. It is an invitation to residents to participate, to young people to create, to entrepreneurs to grow, and to visitors to discover a side of Johor that is deeply local, proudly diverse and unmistakably alive.
, in collaboration with the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) Johor and Majlis Perbandaran Segamat (MPS), activates the Segamat Arts and Culture Lane as a new destination for heritage, creativity, community participation and local enterprise. ){kind=link}