'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