Every year the local government of Bali hold a cultural parade event called Bali Art Festival, locally known as Pesta Kesenian Bali. It is believed to be the best moment of Balinese people for showing their very utmost of art and cultural performances. The government spend a huge budget to finance this cultural event, of course with some propaganda stating that the event is very important in order to preserve the cultural heritage so it must be held no matter what it costs. This year, Bali Art Festival is held from June 14 until July 12. It lasts approximately one month which take place in front of Lapangan Renon (Bajrasandi Monument) for the grand opening and the following cultural activities are located in a place called Taman Budaya (Art Center)

Apart from the foreign participants, all of the festival’s participants are coming from each regency in Bali. There are 9 regencies in Bali: Karangasem, Klungkung, Gianyar, Bangli, Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan, Jembrana, and Buleleng. Each of them will send the best people of the regency in order to perform during the opening. The irony begins at this point. The local government will give some budget to the regency in order to finance those best people to do any rehearsal needed so they can show their very best during the opening which is most of the time, would be officially open by the President.

If this event is all about preserving Balinese culture, why does the government of Bali pay attention to those Balinese artists only once a year? I do not see any continuous real program in order to preserve the culture. All they want is an instant project, give them rehearsal money, all is for the goddamn sake opening. In my opinion, preserving culture is an ongoing process that need to be done continuously.It involves so many aspects and obviously not enough just by buying them colorful clothes and ask them to perform at the opening of Bali Art Festival.

Preserving cultural values also means respecting and giving appreciation to the artists itself. Just one small example, some artists from the very far of regency in Bali are transported to the opening location by a construction truck. They encounter everything during the trip such as heat, rain etc. Are they complaining? Hell no. Balinese people are sometimes just simple and thankful. They gonna say, its OK, thanks to the government I am involved in this big event, I will be in local and national televisions. When the opening ceremony is done, let us go now to the Art Center where some other cultural events are held as the big part of the Festival itself. You hardly can find a pure cultural event. What you find is a well arranged business center selling all Balinese crafts and clothing, just like in the traditional market except the label is Bali Art Festival. Is this preserving the culture?

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