OPENING parade of the Bali Arts Festival is the best moment to witness various regional arts from all over Bali in one moment. Meanwhile, the performance and other festival activities are held at the Bali Art Center for nearly a month.
The Bali Arts Festival (BAF) XLIV was officially opened by the Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Muhammad Tito Karnavian, accompanied directly by the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, together with Mrs. Putri Suastini Koster, Deputy Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, and Tjok Putri Hariyani Ardhana Sukawati on Sunday afternoon (Jun 12) in front of the Bajra Sandhi Monument, Niti Mandala area, Renon, Denpasar.
Since noon, people have arrived and thronged the east, south and west sides of the Puputan Margarana Field to witness the BAF opening parade. Of course, they were very excited because it has been two years since the Covid-19 pandemic took place the festival was not held. It indicates that they really miss Balinese art events like this.
The cultural parade started at 14:00 Local Time. A total of 24 participants took part to enliven the first parade after the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s BAF takes the main theme “Danu Kerthi: Huluning Amreta” which is interpreted as glorifying water as a source of life. This theme was chosen to implement the 2018-2023 Bali development vision, namely Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali which was programmed by the Bali Provincial Government under the leadership of Governor Wayan Koster and Deputy Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati.
The theme “Danu Kerthi: Huluning Amreta” is implemented in every art activity which includes Peed Aya (Parade), Rekasadana (Performance), Wimbakara (Competition), Kandarupa (Exhibition), Kriyaloka (Workshop), Widyatula (Discussion), and Adi Sewaka Nugraha (Award). This BAF is also coupled with the Rising Bali Small and Medium Industry Exhibition (IKM) under the coordination of the Bali Handicraft Council (Dekranasda) where all the events will be centralized at the Denpasar Art Center.
The BAF 2022 involves 16,150 artists and 200 art studios, art troupes and art communities. In addition to artists from various regions in Bali, this year’s Bali Arts Festival also involves participation from outside the region, namely the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Papua, Batak, Lombok Sasak, and Betawi.
Participants in this art parade are ambassadors from districts and municipality throughout Bali as well as 13 other participants that brought works with the same theme, including the Mpu Kuturan State Hindu College (STAHN) Singaraja, Ganesha University of Education Singaraja, Pasifika Museum, Bank Indonesia in collaboration with the Bali Banking Institute, Regional Development Bank (BPD) of Bali, Udayana University, State Hindu University I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar, Hindu Indonesia University Denpasar, Mahasaraswati University Denpasar, STIKOM Bali Institute of Technology and Business, PGRI Mahadewa University Indonesia, SMKN 3 Sukawati, and SMKN 5 Denpasar.
