S

everal years from now, Kota Tua in West Jakarta may become a place where young artists in the capital city hone their skills.

If the time comes, the old buildings in the area would not be quiet and eerie anymore as they would be filled with creative young people who live and hold various performances in Kota Tua that attract more people to the area.

This was the vision of the Jakarta Old Town Revitalization Corporation (JOTRC) when the consortium cooperated with the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) to turn old buildings on Jl. Malaka 7 and Jl. Malaka 9 in Kota Tua into centers for film, theater and music.

JOTRC CEO Lin Che Wei said recently on the sidelines of a seminar on city heritage that the consortium would cooperate with the IKJ to create a program to serve that purpose.

'€œWe are now discussing the matter with the IKJ and [veteran actor and director] Slamet Raharjo Djarot to design the program,'€ he said.

Lin said the city administration had ordered the JOTRC to take care of a permit to revitalize the buildings several months ago.

'€œThe city will rent the buildings from [state-owned trading company PT Perusahaan Dagang Indonesia] PPI for 20 years and grant them to the IKJ,'€ he said, adding that the renovation would take around two years to complete.

He said it was important to enliven Kota Tua with art and cultural activities because the area was the birthplace of culture in Jakarta.

The JOTRC has signed deals with several of the owners of old buildings in Kota Tua to revitalize and change them into cultural and business hubs.

'€œWe will keep encouraging artists, musicians, filmmakers and students to live, work and actively be involved in enlivening Kota Tua,'€ Lin said.

Kota Tua also has been nominated as Indonesia'€™s representative for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List of significant cultural and natural sites.

The dean of IKJ'€™s School of Film and Television, RB Armantono, said he supported the plan of making an art and cultural center in Kota Tua.

'€œWe will participate actively if the facilities are provided,'€ he said.

Armantono said the city lacked alternative venues for art communities as most venues were commercial. The film community, for example, needs more alternative venues that are fitted with good sound systems and projectors to screen short films and documentaries.

However, he said that it would be difficult to move all of the school'€™s teaching and learning activities from the current campus in Cikini, Central Jakarta, to Kota Tua.

'€œMany facilities like a soundproof room need to be prepared. They will cost a lot,'€ he said, adding that it would also burden students as many of them lived near Cikini.