KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — The Boh Cameronian Arts Awards is making a comeback in May after a three-year hiatus to celebrate the best of Malaysian performing arts from 2020–2022.

The 18th awards ceremony will be the culmination of shows judged over the last three years when the arts industry had to wade through the Covid-19 pandemic which turned the world on its head.

The awards board have received over 100 productions for a group of judges to review.

The awards ceremony will recognise those who have demonstrated excellence in acting, music and dancing chops.

It will also honour behind-the-scene crew who take care of all the things that bring productions to life including costume and makeup, music and sound, visual and set design as well as lighting design.

Boh Plantations chief executive officer Jason Foo said it was good to have the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards back as one of the highlights of the arts industry.

"Suffice to say, the last few years were a period of testing for each of us but that same difficult journey has shaped our tenacity as an industry.

"It’s great to see the arts industry re-invent itself, rise to conquer the challenges of the past and concertedly move ahead to shape the exciting future.”

In 2020, the 17th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards was held online for the first time, celebrating the achievements of 2019 and acknowledging the best productions for the year.

That same year, Boh Plantations assisted 15 production companies who were past winners with a contribution of RM10,000 each.

The companies were identified based on their continued contribution to the industry and whose works had been interrupted during the movement control order which was imposed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

In 2022, RM200,000 worth of Boh Cameronian grants for new productions were awarded to 20 performing arts companies to help defray the production cost in a bid to reboot the arts sector.

Kakiseni president Low Ngai Yuen said the last few years tested not just performers in Malaysia but around the globe as the lockdowns and movement control orders halted performances, live music and production work everywhere, making it extremely difficult for arts practitioners to survive.

"Boh Cameronian Grants for New Productions helped to kick-start things again.

"Some of these shows have even made it to the nominations list, so it is indeed a joyous occasion for us to host the 18th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards and announce the nominees.”

The awards ceremony is supported by long-standing title sponsors, Boh Plantations, and BDO Malaysia which debuts as the ballot partner.

This year’s ceremony is themed "A New Day. Setia Pada Senimu” in reflection of the spirit of the performing arts community for rising from the ashes with a renewed sense of purpose.

The awards night is slated to take place on May 14 at Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre at 1 Utama Shopping Centre.