- ANNUAL Balinese cultural event, namely the Bali Arts Festival (BAF), returns to be held this year on June 18-July 16, 2023. For almost a month there will be many performances, exhibitions, discussions and other art agenda to be held at the Bali Art Center, Denpasar.
The Bali Arts Festival (BAF) is the implementation of the Regional Regulation of the Bali Province No.4/2020 concerning the Strengthening and Advancement of Balinese Culture which is in line with Law No.5/2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture and the implementation of the development vision of the Bali Province for 2018-2023: Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali, through the Planned Universal Development Pattern towards a New Era of Bali.
BAF XLV 2023 is the largest arts festival in the Bali Province which is populist but has a reputation at the world level and carries the theme “Segara Kerthi: Prabhaneka Sandhi (Oceanic Creation of Civilization)” meaning the efforts to glorify the sea as a source of universal welfare as well as the origin of a civilization.
The opening of the BAF 2023 will be held in front of the Bajra Sandhi Monument Renon on Sunday (June 18) at 14:00 Local Time. The parade of art ambassadors from each district and city throughout Bali will demonstrate their art show in accordance with the theme in front of the stage of honor and as usual and will continue walking westward on Jalan Raya Puputan and turn right at the traffic light towards the Bali Governor’s Office.
Broadly speaking, the BAF event includes agendas such as: Peed Aya (Parade), Rekasadana (Performance), Utsava (Parade), Wimbakara (Competition), Kriyaloka (Workshop), Kandarupa (Exhibition), Widyatula (Discussion), Adi Sewaka Nugraha (Art Servant Award), World Cultural Celebration in Bali and Jantra Tradisi Bali (Regional Culture Week) designed as a medium for art appreciation to support the strengthening and promotion of Balinese culture.
For almost a whole month, the Balinese people and their artists hold a cultural extravaganza event as a performance of the discovery and reconstruction of traditional arts having been almost extinct, preservation, introduction and promotion of culture.
Most of the BAF agenda will take place in the Bali Art Center which are spread over the open stage, closed stage, the Ayodya Stage, Ratna Kanda Stage, Angsoka Stage, Wantilan Hall and Kriya Buildings (Exhibitions). Meanwhile, some others will be held at the STSI Denpasar Campus and Niti Mandala Renon East Field (Balinese Tradition Jantra—traditional sports) and the Office of Bali Culture Services.
Why This June?
If you wish to explore the nature and culture of Bali, this June is the right time because it can be said as the month of festival. For almost the whole month, Bali Culture Services stages various arts ranging from drama, operetta, vocal, handicraft, painting, traditional martial arts and statue. Some will be presented at daytime while the others in the evening.
So, divide your time wisely in order to be able to explore the nature’s splendor and enjoy the Balinese art performance at the Bali Art Center located on Jalan Nusa Indah Denpasar.
