'The city needs more arts venues'

'The city needs more arts venues'

The arts give people a outlet to express themselves, to explore
more ideas and to capture their passions and emotions, helping to
balance the tough existence in the metropolis. The Jakarta Post
asked some residents where they go to enjoy the arts.

Poniman, 42, is a sidewalk rubber-stamp maker in Bendungan
Hilir, Central Jakarta. He lives nearby in a rented house with
his wife and two children:

I don't think that being a big city has made Jakarta lose its
attention toward the arts -- traditional arts in particular.

We can still find plenty of shadow puppet (wayang kulit) shows
here in the city, like at the end of each month in the grounds of
state radio station RRI. There are also regular shows at Taman
Mini amusement park.

But I do have to admit that I rarely watch the shows now,
because I just don't have the time anymore. It's also difficult
for my wife and I to take the children along, because the shows
usually run all night long. I now just go occasionally with my
friends.

I've also been noticing that there are more and more dangdut
music shows held in the city today. Now I don't know if such
shows count as arts events or not, but they seem to be more
popular than wayang shows.

Malik, 63, is retired. He lives in Bendungan Hilir with his
wife and children:

I think there are still plenty of arts events in the city for
Jakartans to enjoy, like plays held at the Taman Ismail Marzuki
arts center in Cikini or at the Jakarta Playhouse (GKJ).

I myself like to see the plays, especially when I am invited
by my friends from the arts community -- I saw the latest play of
Teater Koma at GKJ this month.

But I do think that the city administration should provide
more places to hold such events -- maybe one in each municipality
-- so the public can have more opportunity to appreciate the
arts.

The problem is that the government seems to lack attention and
efforts in this area. If there are any claims of having given
attention to the country's arts and culture, most of it is just
lip-service.

--The Jakarta Post