Inaugurated in 2010, the festival was initially mooted to celebrate the inscription of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[3] In spite of budgetary constraints, the inaugural event was successfully held throughout the month of July in 2010.

[3][4] The art festival has been organised yearly since then, with events being held by utilising the city's heritage architecture as performance venues.

[1] The George Town Festival is held to celebrate and preserve the local arts, culture and heritage.

For instance, the 2014 edition featured several acts by Singaporean artists highlighting the shared culture between the two fellow Straits Settlements cities, whilst in 2017, the festival was kicked off with an ensemble of musical performances from throughout Southeast Asia.