TIM to become 'true center for the arts'<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After a long debate, the Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ) has reached
\nan agreement with the city administration to review an ongoing
\nmaster plan to develop Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) arts center
\ncomplex, Cikini, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The administration has agreed that the council and other
\nrelated stakeholders will be involved in the revision and future
\nsupervision of the master plan, to ensure that the arts center
\ndoes not become another cash cow to the city or businesspeople.<\/p>\n
\"We would like TIM to function genuinely as a breeding ground
\nfor arts and cultural activities, without being contaminated by
\nunrelated, business-oriented interests,\" DKJ head Ratna Sarumpaet
\nsaid on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The TIM complex was established in 1968 by then governor Ali
\nSadikin to become a home to the city's arts community and
\ncultural activities. The complex, which was named after the
\ncountry's famous composer, also houses the Jakarta Institute of
\nArts (IKJ) and the Jakarta Planetarium.<\/p>\n
In 1995, the administration of governor Surjadi Soedirja
\nconceived a master plan to renovate and develop TIM into a world-
\nclass arts center.<\/p>\n
The Rp 500 billion (US$55.5 million) project was planned to be
\ncompleted within 10 years, which included the construction of an
\nRp 89.4 billion, eight-story \"Wisma Seni\" hotel and office
\nbuilding, and a Rp 318.3 billion, 1,200-seat playhouse.<\/p>\n
Many in the city's arts community, however, regretted why they
\nwere never consulted on the master plan, and why it had a
\ntendency to commercialize the arts center.<\/p>\n
But with the recent agreement, Ratna said that all of that
\nwould hopefully be corrected.<\/p>\n
Ratna explained that the administration had accepted the
\ncouncil's revision to cancel the previous plan to operate the
\n\"Wisma Seni\" as a three-star hotel.<\/p>\n
\"The administration has agreed to drop such a scheme,\" she
\nsaid. \"The Wisma Seni can therefore be used as low-cost
\naccommodation for any arts group that wants to stage a show at
\nTIM.\"<\/p>\n
The council has also managed to persuade the management of a
\ncinema chain currently operating in TIM to sign a new contract in
\nwhich it will gradually transform the cinema into one that
\nscreens only artistic movies for film festivals.<\/p>\n
Ratna explained that the management would start converting its
\ncinema in August, by operating one of its screening rooms to show
\nartistic movies, as well as commercial ones. The management would
\nalso provide a special room where movie buffs could hold
\ndiscussions on movies.<\/p>\n
\"We are not against Hollywood films, but would appreciate it
\nif a cinema operating in an arts center prioritizes the screening
\nof artistic films,\" she said. \"I'm also sure Jakartans will be
\nenthusiastic about such a cinema.\"<\/p>\n
Ever since 1999, the city has hosted an annual film festival,
\nthe Jakarta International Film Festival (JIFFest), which shows a
\nvariety of foreign and domestic critically acclaimed movies, and
\nhas always attracted many viewers.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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