- Brilliant ideas of Ida Bagus Mantra to build the Art Center and Bali Art Festival (BAF) have helped preserve Balinese cultures from the verge of extinction
- As annual cultural extravaganza, BAF is not only an appreciation but also entertainment to current generations and visitors
The Bali Art Center is one of the oldest and largest art centers in Bali located on Jalan Nusa Indah, Denpasar City. The Governor of Bali who served in the period 1978-1988, Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, who is well known for his love of Balinese culture, donated an area of five hectares (ha) to build the complex opened in 1979.
From that time, the art center hosted the annual Balinese art extravaganza better known as the Bali Arts Festival (BAF). It is held by the Bali Provincial Government. The program lasts for a full month from around mid-June to mid-July. This period coincides with the school holidays after class promotion. Hopefully, the students and teachers will have the opportunity to take a break while enjoying the traditional cultural entertainment of their own region.
As the name suggests, the Bali Arts Festival is participated by the eight regencies and municipality in Bali by presenting their distinctive arts in accordance with the theme stipulated ranging from dance, music, sculpture, paintings, puppets, to their traditional food.
The Balinese arts displayed are offerings and the resulting works. This offering implies sincere liberation where in Hindu teaching it is called yadnya or sacrifice. Sacrifice through the arts makes the best creation. So, as far as possible an artist will not offer his ugliest or makeshift work.
The exploration and preservation of this culture includes philosophy, noble and universal values, basic concepts, cultural heritage of both tangible and intangible objects having high historical value, innovation, cultural adaptation in the hope that it will remain sustainable in line with changing times and the environment.
Cultural preservation such as by displaying classical arts is almost extinct and forgotten in the community. Besides, it also serves a medium to motivate the community to explore, discover, and display Balinese cultural arts and the improve welfare to the community.
Functionally, the Bali Art Center area is divided into four complexes, namely the sacred complex, which includes Taman Beji Temple, Bale Selonding and Bale Pepaosan. Secondly, the quiet complex is the Widya Kusuma Library building.
After that, the third is the half-crowded complex, which consists of the Mahudara Exhibition Hall, the Kriya Building and the sculpture studio. Finally, there is a crowded complex which includes the stages of Ardha Candra Amphitheater and Ksiraarnawa Building (indoor stage).
Ardha Candra is an open ceremony of the BAF and other performing arts. This stage has a large capacity of up to six thousand spectators.
Ksiraarnawa is a closed stage which can also be used for colossal performances. Its function is almost the same as Ardha Candra, but its shape is closed and having smaller capacity. This complex consists of two floors. The closed stage sits on the second floor, while the first floor is divided into three areas. The westernmost area is intended for various handicraft exhibition rooms, the middle area is for open spaces and the eastern area is for the management office. Outside, precisely on the east side there is also a small open stage commonly used for gamelan performance.
Aside from Ardha Candra and Ksiraarnawa, there are also smaller and open stages like the Ratna Kanda and Ayodya. These stages are commonly used for performing arts such as dance, arja, and joged bumbung.
This arts center complex is established according to the concept of Balinese architecture and decorated with beautiful and attractive ornaments. More uniquely, the exterior and ornament use red brick and gray sand stone, a typical material frequently used for exterior of residence and sanctum.
This place is open for tourist visits on official working days from morning to evening. From Ngurah Rai airport, the Bali Art Center is about 15 kilometers and can be reached within 20 minutes by vehicle.
Overall, this cultural center is spread over an area of 14 hectares equipped with a spacious parking area. The parking attendants from local customary village, assisted by pecalang (customary guard officer) are ready on site.
