Klaten Hosts Children's Puppeteer Competition for 222nd Anniversary, Aiming for Artistic Regeneration
The Culture, Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office (Disbudporapar) of Klaten Regency, in collaboration with the Indonesian Puppeteers Association (Pepadi), held a children’s puppeteer competition at the Pendapa Taman Budaya Monumen Juang 45 Klaten on Wednesday (15/7/2026). This annual event is part of the series of celebrations for the 222nd Anniversary of Klaten Regency and also marks the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.
The staging of the children’s puppeteer competition is a tangible manifestation of the Klaten Regency Government’s commitment to nurturing, preserving, and developing regional arts and culture. Klaten Regent Hamenang Wajar Ismoyo, in a speech read by Acting Head of Disbudporapar Purwanto, stressed the importance of maintaining cultural roots to remain strong in the face of changing times.
“This activity is a real form of our shared commitment to nurturing and developing regional arts and culture. The presence of our children in this competition is proof that the art of puppetry still holds a place in the hearts of the younger generation,” Purwanto stated, conveying the Regent’s message. The Regent hopes this event will not merely be a competition, but also a platform for coaching and regenerating young talent, ensuring the art of puppetry remains alive, grows, and is loved by children as the future owners of the nation.
Hari Sembung, Chairman of the 2026 Klaten Regency Children’s Puppeteer Competition Committee, reported that participant enthusiasm remained stable this year, with a total of 15 participants representing 14 schools across the Klaten Regency area. The competition was divided into two main categories based on age groups. Each participant was given a 30-minute performance duration to showcase their skills in manipulating the wayang puppets, vocal delivery, and storytelling. Winners from this regency-level competition will subsequently be prepared to represent Klaten at the provincial level, with the hope of advancing to national-level competitions.
To maintain the quality of the competition, the committee assembled a panel of judges comprising renowned puppetry artists. They were tasked with assessing both the technical aspects and the expressive depth of each performing young puppeteer. On this occasion, the Klaten Regency Government also called upon all elements of society, from parents and schools to art studio managers, to synergise in providing space for children to love the nation’s ancestral cultural heritage. Through the consistent organisation of the children’s puppeteer competition each year, Klaten continues to establish itself as one of the regions that serves as a breeding ground for talented puppeteers in Central Java, ensuring the cultural baton is not dropped by the current generation.