Kemdiktisaintek 2026 Gamelan Grant: UWG Strengthens Arts and Culture Preservation in Tumpang Village
Universitas Widya Gama Malang (UWG) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local cultural preservation through its 2026 Community Development Programme. The university’s community service team handed over a set of gamelan instruments to Tumpang Village, Malang Regency, as a form of support for the development of community arts and culture, particularly the Bantengan art form.
The activity was funded by the Directorate of Research and Community Service (DPPM) of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) for 2026.
The handover of the gamelan is one form of UWG’s support in strengthening the arts ecosystem in Tumpang Village. The assistance is expected not only to serve as a supporting facility for performances, but also to be used to revitalise community arts activities, foster the younger generation, preserve traditions, and develop various cultural activities at the village level.
Tumpang Village is one of the villages currently implementing the Village Cultural Advancement Programme (Desa Budaya) under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. In 2026, the programme has entered its third year of implementation, with a focus on strengthening cultural potential while enhancing community capacity.
With the gamelan grant, the people of Tumpang Village are expected to have greater space to develop Bantengan art and other traditional arts. The presence of the gamelan set is also expected to serve as a learning tool for the younger generation so that traditional arts remain alive, develop, and are passed down across generations.
The handover of the gamelan is not merely interpreted as the provision of arts equipment, but as part of a long-term investment in local cultural preservation. UWG views that the sustainability of arts and culture requires both supporting facilities and the strengthening of the capacity of the communities that manage them.
On the occasion, Widiarto, as Head of Tumpang Village, also provided motivation to residents to make optimal use of the gamelan grant and the mentoring programme. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the community, arts groups, the village government, universities, and various other parties.
“Collaboration is the key so that the cultural potential we have is not only maintained, but can also be developed into an economic strength and a source of pride for the people of Tumpang Village.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Ana Sopanah, as head of the Village Development Grant team, said that UWG’s Community Development Programme in Tumpang Village is designed with an approach that integrates cultural preservation, organisational strengthening, digitalisation, and creative economy development. “The gamelan grant is a form of facility support, while financial and management training is part of strengthening human resources and organisational governance,” said Ana.
Through the programme, UWG together with the people of Tumpang Village are committed to building a cultural ecosystem that is not only able to maintain the existence of Bantengan art, but also to develop cultural potential into a social and economic strength for the community.