Taman Budaya project resumes<\/p>\n
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Following a year-long delay, the Yogyakarta Taman Budaya (TBY)
\nart and cultural center project has resumed in order to meet a
\ndeadline set by the Japanese government, which is financing the
\nproject.<\/p>\n
The chief of the center, Suprapto, said the Japanese
\ngovernment, which has pledged a donation of 40 million yen to
\nfinance the project, threatened to withdraw its offer if the
\nproject was not completed by the end of this month.<\/p>\n
In the time since construction work, Suprapto said here
\nTuesday, has taken place \"day and night\"<\/p>\n
\"We want the project to be completed in time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The project was halted because of the lack of coordination
\nbetween the central and provincial administrations, following the
\nimplementation of regional autonomy provisions.<\/p>\n
The central government, which was in charge of the project,
\nassumed the Yogyakarta provincial administration would take over
\nthe effort, since the provincial government had said it was a
\nproject to be financed by the Japanese government.<\/p>\n
Of the two-hectare area earmarked for the cultural center,
\nonly some 3,500 square meters had already been developed for a
\nconcert hall an exhibition room.<\/p>\n
The Japanese government said it would pay for the concert
\nhall's sound system set so it could meet international standards;
\nthe building has a 1,400-seat capacity.<\/p>\n
Yet the Japanese once acknowledged that TBY would unlikely be
\nable to finish the building by year's end, due to the application
\nof regional autonomy, which threatened to switch the allocated
\nfunds to other country.<\/p>\n
\"We immediately reported this to the local government, and it
\ndecided to give us Rp 4 billion to complete the project,\" said
\nSuprapto.<\/p>\n
The fund, he said, was only disbursed by the beginning of the
\nmonth (December), adding that he had only a month left to finish
\nall the interior finishing activities.<\/p>\n
These included providing the concert hall with seats, carpets,
\nstage vinyl, soundproof walls and roofs, generator sets, and air
\nconditioner sets.<\/p>\n
The Rp 12.5 billion building was actually part of the main
\nbuildings of the planned complex, which consists of twin two-
\nstory buildings situated on the south and north sides of the
\ncomplex.<\/p>\n
The concert hall is located in the upper floor of the north
\nbuilding, while the exhibition room is in the lower floor of the
\nsame building.<\/p>\n
The south building, on the other hand, is designed to
\naccommodate art and culturally related business activities.<\/p>\n
A multipurpose hall is set for the upper floor, while the
\nlower floor earmarked for art markets and workshops, as well as
\nart shops offering handicrafts.<\/p>\n
A cine club offering both documentary films and box office
\nmovies will also be added to the south building, along with an
\ninternational restaurant, money changers, and cargo outlets.<\/p>\n
These exclude additional buildings for a fine art gallery, a
\nclose theater, an open theater, and a documentary building.<\/p>\n
\"All are designed to meet with international standards,\" said
\nTBY's Vice Head Dian Anggraeni.<\/p>\n
TBY, which was established by the government as the technical
\nunit (UPT) of the Directorate General of Culture of the Ministry
\nof the Education and Culture, is currently occupying a complex of
\nsome 9,000 square meters at the Gadjah Mada University campus.<\/p>\n
The complex, however, is designated more for students'
\nactivities. The present complex is considered to be far from big
\nenough to accommodate art and cultural activities in the city,
\nwhich is home to some 8,300 art workers, including some 650
\npainters and fine sculpture makers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/taman-budaya-project-resumes-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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