Bali Arts Festival Expected to Attract Tourists Across Archipelago and Beyond
Denpasar. The 2017 Bali Arts Festival, which kicks off on June 10 and runs until July 8, is expected to draw an increasing number of local and foreign tourists to the Island of Gods.
Buleleng district head Putu Agus Suradnyana has called on the public to support the annual festival to celebrate local artists.
"The festival is not only designed to preserve and develop Balinese art, but it should ultimately serve to promote the island's rich culture and artist traditions around the world," Agus said on Wednesday (24/05).
"We take this festival very seriously, as it is an internationally-renowned event."
In its 39th year, the Bali Arts Festival has attracted thousands of foreign tourists in its decades-long tenure and has featured seminal pieces by some of Indonesia's most well-known artists.
Bali Tourism Agency head A.A. Gede Yuniartha Putra said his bureau coordinated closely with civil society institutions, local companies and other departments of the Tourism Ministry to promote the festival across the archipelago and beyond.
The theme of this year's festival centers on "Ulun Danu," or to "preserve the water of life." In the Balinese dialect, Ulun translates to "head," while Danu denotes a lake or large fountain of water.
"For Balinese, water is a symbol of life itself […] 'Ulun Danu' is a concept meant to convey local wisdom on preserving, honoring and managing water, as it represents the very source of life," Yuniartha said.
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said the festival is the only month-long arts event anywhere in the country.
"We want to showcase contemporary Balinese art that stays true to our roots," Mangku said.
The governor has encouraged the public to participate in the festival, especially Bali's younger generations.
"One of our main goals is to preserve our culture and traditional art. This festival gives space for local artists to experiment [...] to showcase their work to domestic and foreign tourists," Mangku said.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya also expects the Bali Arts Festival to attract more tourists to the island.
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