Bali art festival to feature 180 shows

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - The Bali Art Festival (PKB) will feature at least 180 art shows during the time it is held from June 13 through July 12, a spokesman said.
Around 14,000 artists representing eight districts/towns in Bali and those from other 12 provinces in Indonesia, and the representatives of eight foreign countries will take part in the PKB, head of arts division at Bali provincial cultural office, I Made Santha said here on Wednesday.

The event is one of the agendas of five annual activities in the resort Island, he said, adding that the PKB is expected to be opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Made Santha explained that the desplays of the arts will be prioritized on the basis of values and traditions.

The festival will also display the results of arts development as well as contemporary arts, but still rooted in the values of tradition.

Thus, Bali will show no less than 17 types of traditional Balinese arts, in addition to a number arts from provinces in the country and from abroad, Made Santha said.

Meanwhile, head of Bali provincial arts performance agency, I Dewa Made Nurjana Putra, said his side had prepared necessary things in a bid to make the event a success.

Seven stages will be used for the arts perfotrmances, including an outdoor stage, he said.

The Bali administration also invited some ministers, including the foreign affairs minister, the minister/state secretary, the cultural and tourism ministry, as well as the education minister, to attend the opening of the PKB. (*)