Taman Budaya project resumes
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Following a year-long delay, the Yogyakarta Taman Budaya (TBY) art and cultural center project has resumed in order to meet a deadline set by the Japanese government, which is financing the project.
The chief of the center, Suprapto, said the Japanese government, which has pledged a donation of 40 million yen to finance the project, threatened to withdraw its offer if the project was not completed by the end of this month.
In the time since construction work, Suprapto said here Tuesday, has taken place "day and night"
"We want the project to be completed in time," he said.
The project was halted because of the lack of coordination between the central and provincial administrations, following the implementation of regional autonomy provisions.
The central government, which was in charge of the project, assumed the Yogyakarta provincial administration would take over the effort, since the provincial government had said it was a project to be financed by the Japanese government.
Of the two-hectare area earmarked for the cultural center, only some 3,500 square meters had already been developed for a concert hall an exhibition room.
The Japanese government said it would pay for the concert hall's sound system set so it could meet international standards; the building has a 1,400-seat capacity.
Yet the Japanese once acknowledged that TBY would unlikely be able to finish the building by year's end, due to the application of regional autonomy, which threatened to switch the allocated funds to other country.
"We immediately reported this to the local government, and it decided to give us Rp 4 billion to complete the project," said Suprapto.
The fund, he said, was only disbursed by the beginning of the month (December), adding that he had only a month left to finish all the interior finishing activities.
These included providing the concert hall with seats, carpets, stage vinyl, soundproof walls and roofs, generator sets, and air conditioner sets.
The Rp 12.5 billion building was actually part of the main buildings of the planned complex, which consists of twin two- story buildings situated on the south and north sides of the complex.
The concert hall is located in the upper floor of the north building, while the exhibition room is in the lower floor of the same building.
The south building, on the other hand, is designed to accommodate art and culturally related business activities.
A multipurpose hall is set for the upper floor, while the lower floor earmarked for art markets and workshops, as well as art shops offering handicrafts.
A cine club offering both documentary films and box office movies will also be added to the south building, along with an international restaurant, money changers, and cargo outlets.
These exclude additional buildings for a fine art gallery, a close theater, an open theater, and a documentary building.
"All are designed to meet with international standards," said TBY's Vice Head Dian Anggraeni.
TBY, which was established by the government as the technical unit (UPT) of the Directorate General of Culture of the Ministry of the Education and Culture, is currently occupying a complex of some 9,000 square meters at the Gadjah Mada University campus.
The complex, however, is designated more for students' activities. The present complex is considered to be far from big enough to accommodate art and cultural activities in the city, which is home to some 8,300 art workers, including some 650 painters and fine sculpture makers.