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Through festivals and rebuilding, IKJ continues fight for recognition
Signature event: Wagiono said that it was time for IKJ to have a signature event besides the Indonesian Dance Festival (pictured here) to involve all schools at the nstitute
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Signature event:: Wagiono said that it was time for IKJ to have a signature event besides the Indonesian Dance Festival (pictured here) to involve all schools at the nstitute. (JP)" height="341" width="512" border="0">Signature event: Wagiono said that it was time for IKJ to have a signature event besides the Indonesian Dance Festival (pictured here) to involve all schools at the nstitute. (JP)The Jakarta Institute of Arts (IKJ) currently provides basic and higher education for 2,000 aspiring artists majoring at the performing arts, fine arts, film and television as well as post-graduate students.
Graduates and drop-outs have both contributed in bringing Indonesia to the world stage as filmmakers, musicians, choreographers, painters, sculptors and fashion designers.
According to Rector Wagiono Sunarto, almost half of the 500 students who entered the institute five years ago did not finish their education, as they had already been hired by the industry.
âThe right term to describe them is âdrop-insâ,â he said.
What troubled the institution the most was ever-changing academic regulations. According to Wagiono, there were 12 new regulations in the past year the institute had to adjust to.
âIn one of the regulations, we are required to have more lecturers with masterâs degrees and to meet the [teacher/student] ratio of 1 to 45.
âHowever, out of the total of 350 universities in Jakarta, the IKJ is among 100 that have already passed the evaluation by Jakarta Private University Coordinating Body [Kopertis].â
The institute was started as an informal academy by artists under the patronage of then-Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin. It was officially opened as a learning institution by Soeharto on June 25, 1976.
Although the institute is private, it receives grants from the Jakarta administration every year. This year, IKJ received Rp 4.5 billion (US$371,000).
According to Wagiono, the figure is small compared to the magnitude of activities at the campus, which is located inside the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Cikini, Central Jakarta.
âThe standard cost for each student is Rp 16 million each year. We can hardly afford it. The grant on average covers only 15 percent of total expenses,â he said.
âUnlike other institutes of arts that bear the burden to develop traditional cultures, the IKJ was established to accommodate those who want to try new things, different things. We cannot just remove a program because it would violate our principles.â
Wagiono lauded the establishment of the Jakarta Arts and Culture Foundation a couple of years ago to bridge the camp between the campus and the Jakarta administration, expecting it would ensure a fixed operational fund.
âBecause of the financial problems, we have to compromise with the student admissions process, and, in turn, the quality of our graduates.
âIf we had bigger fund, we could make a better five-year plan and hold more research while providing scholarships for potential artists,â said the rector, who is now in his second term.
As the institute readies to celebrate its 45th anniversary in 2015, Wagiono said that it was time for the IKJ to have a signature event besides the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF) to involve all schools at the institute.
âWe need to be accountable for our existence in society. Therefore, we held the first IKJ International Festival this year in hope that it will be a significant cultural event.â
The international festival, which ran from Oct. 4 to 9, showcased the works of students, graduates as well as world-class artists.
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span class="inline inline-center">Signature event: Wagiono said that it was time for IKJ to have a signature event besides the Indonesian Dance Festival (pictured here) to involve all schools at the nstitute. (JP)
The Jakarta Institute of Arts (IKJ) currently provides basic and higher education for 2,000 aspiring artists majoring at the performing arts, fine arts, film and television as well as post-graduate students.
Graduates and drop-outs have both contributed in bringing Indonesia to the world stage as filmmakers, musicians, choreographers, painters, sculptors and fashion designers.
According to Rector Wagiono Sunarto, almost half of the 500 students who entered the institute five years ago did not finish their education, as they had already been hired by the industry.
'The right term to describe them is 'drop-ins',' he said.
What troubled the institution the most was ever-changing academic regulations. According to Wagiono, there were 12 new regulations in the past year the institute had to adjust to.
'In one of the regulations, we are required to have more lecturers with master's degrees and to meet the [teacher/student] ratio of 1 to 45.
'However, out of the total of 350 universities in Jakarta, the IKJ is among 100 that have already passed the evaluation by Jakarta Private University Coordinating Body [Kopertis].'
The institute was started as an informal academy by artists under the patronage of then-Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin. It was officially opened as a learning institution by Soeharto on June 25, 1976.
Although the institute is private, it receives grants from the Jakarta administration every year. This year, IKJ received Rp 4.5 billion (US$371,000).
According to Wagiono, the figure is small compared to the magnitude of activities at the campus, which is located inside the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Cikini, Central Jakarta.
'The standard cost for each student is Rp 16 million each year. We can hardly afford it. The grant on average covers only 15 percent of total expenses,' he said.
'Unlike other institutes of arts that bear the burden to develop traditional cultures, the IKJ was established to accommodate those who want to try new things, different things. We cannot just remove a program because it would violate our principles.'
Wagiono lauded the establishment of the Jakarta Arts and Culture Foundation a couple of years ago to bridge the camp between the campus and the Jakarta administration, expecting it would ensure a fixed operational fund.
'Because of the financial problems, we have to compromise with the student admissions process, and, in turn, the quality of our graduates.
'If we had bigger fund, we could make a better five-year plan and hold more research while providing scholarships for potential artists,' said the rector, who is now in his second term.
As the institute readies to celebrate its 45th anniversary in 2015, Wagiono said that it was time for the IKJ to have a signature event besides the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF) to involve all schools at the institute.
'We need to be accountable for our existence in society. Therefore, we held the first IKJ International Festival this year in hope that it will be a significant cultural event.'
The international festival, which ran from Oct. 4 to 9, showcased the works of students, graduates as well as world-class artists.
The Film and Television School of IKJ in cooperation with arts and film schools overseas joined in presenting a student film festival. A lineup of 40 films in three categories ' feature/short movies, documentary and animation ' were be screened at the campus' Art Sinema.
It also introduced dance film as the new genre in the industry through screenings and discussions.
For over four decades, the Jakarta Institute of Arts (IKJ) has remained true to its original purpose of developing the country's creative industry, despite obstacles from the bureaucracy.
The Fine Arts School and the postgraduate department held an international seminar on Visual Culture and Urban Life last Friday, focusing on the arts of communication and its technology, which is slowly replacing verbal language.
'We expect bigger events for the festival next year,' said Melina Surya Dewi, IKJ deputy rector for cooperation, who chaired the festival.
Wagiono said that now the campus was also under construction and completion was expected by the end of next year.
'We currently set different venues for the festival because we still don't have sufficient space to accommodate all of them. Hopefully, the next festival could be centered here in our campus.'
