Academic reveals challenges in publishing and documenting Balinese culture

A Professor from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Udayana University, Prof. Nyoman Darma Putra, has assessed that the mass media plays a vital role in recording the long journey of Balinese culture. “Without media coverage, we would lose many records of our cultural journey, such as the Bali Arts Festival. The media’s role is very clear and beyond doubt,” he said in Denpasar on Monday. During a cultural discussion at the 48th Bali Arts Festival in 2026, Prof Darma stated that for the long-living Balinese culture, the mass media serves as a means of publication and documentation, recording every dynamic. However, he acknowledged that cultural documentation still needs to be strengthened, considering the variety of arts and the numerous art groups preserving them in Bali. He therefore encouraged art studios and foundations to establish cooperation with the private sector through corporate social responsibility programmes or with the government as the regulator for cultural preservation. He noted that with such support, art groups would not find it difficult to document the journey of their works, especially since many companies, including those in banking and the hotel industry in Bali, are committed to supporting cultural preservation but are still looking for the right channels. Meanwhile, IGM Dwikora Putra from the Honorary Council of the PWI Bali branch added that the mass media has a greater responsibility than simply reporting on a series of cultural activities like the 2026 Bali Arts Festival. “Do not just stop at capturing images of the activities. What is more important is to highlight the dynamics of culture, so that the Bali Arts Festival has intellectual documentation that can serve as a reference in the future,” said Dwikora.