Part One
The capital never forgets her cultural tapestry. Here, we reintroduce Jakarta’s top places to enjoy on-stage cultural entertainment, operated by Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.
♦ Gedung Kesenian Jakarta – GKJ
The Jakarta Arts Building (Gedung Kesenian Jakarta – GKJ) is a majestic, historic building that dates back to the Dutch colonial era. It is situated on Jalan Gedung Kesenian no. 1, Central Jakarta, and serves as a hub and showcase for artistic expression and cultural diversity. Artists from across the archipelago showcase their talents in various forms, such as drama, theater, film, literature, and more. The building boasts a unique architectural style that blends Ionic and Corinthian elements, which were popular at the time of its construction. It was officially opened on December 7, 1821, and was originally called Schouwburg. During the Japanese occupation, it was transformed into a military base, but later resumed its role as a performance venue and was renamed Shiritsu Gekijyo in 1943.
The building has witnessed many historic events during Indonesia’s struggle for independence. It was a meeting place for young artists who entertained the freedom fighters and, in 1926, hosted the first Kongres Pemoeda (Youth Congress). It was also the site where Soekarno, the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, established the Central Indonesian National Committee (KNIP) on August 29, 1945. In 1951, it became a lecture hall for students of the Faculty of Economics and Law at the University of Indonesia. From 1957 to 1961, it was used as the Indonesian National Theater Academy (ATNI).
The building underwent several changes in function and name over the years. In 1968, it became the Diana cinema, and in 1969, the City Theater cinema. In 1984, through a Decree of the Governor of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, it regained its status as an Arts Building. It was renovated in 1987 and adopted its current name, GKJ. Before that, it was also known as the Pasar Baru Arts Building and the Komidi Building. The building’s lighting system also evolved from candles and kerosene to gas lamps in 1864, and then to electric lights in 1882.
The Jakarta Arts Building is well-equipped to host various performances and events. It has a spacious auditorium that can accommodate around 475 people, measuring 24 x 17.5 meters. It also has a stage that measures 10.75 x 14 x 17 meters, along with lighting equipment, cameras (CCTV) in every room, TV monitor, and a foyer that measures 5.80 x 24 meters. Additionally, it has outdoor facilities such as electronic billboards for publicity purposes.
♦ Taman Benyamin Suaeb – TBS
Taman Benyamin Suaeb (TBS) is a complex of buildings located on Jalan Jatinegara Timur No. 76, East Jakarta that formerly belonged to the KODIM 0505 Jatinegara military command. The main building was originally constructed as a landhuis, a Dutch colonial mansion, in the 19th century in East Jakarta. The building was recognized for its cultural heritage due to its former status as a military building, gaining its new name Taman Benyamin Suaeb -after the late artist/actor/comedian/musician, Benyamin S. In addition, it turned into a center for the preservation and development of Betawi culture and a place for cross-community interaction, with the Betawi Culture Museum being established. The park also serves as a space for arts and culture practice and exchange. On September 22, 2019, the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Rasyid Baswedan, attended and inaugurated TBS.
On January 10, 2022, the Benyamin Suaeb Museum was officially opened at TBS, occupying the main building. The Benyamin Suaeb Museum is a special museum that displays collections of the late Benyamin Suaeb and other notable Betawi artists, under the supervision of the Cultural Arts Performance Building Management Unit. TBS has various facilities that support arts and culture activities, such as the Betawi house hall measuring 12 x 8 m, toilets, prayer room, parking area, and an amphitheater.
♦ Teater Besar and Teater Kecil at Taman Ismail Marzuki
Teater Besar (Grand Theater) is a theatre space for professional productions that needs a large space for artistic reasons, such as the scale of the event, the number of performers, or the premiere of a new work that requires adequate technical support. The Grand Theatre has a proscenium stage that measures 11 – 16 m in width, 10 m in height, and 20 m in depth. It also has a hydraulic stage and an orchestra pit. Teater Besar can seat 1200 audience members on three floors. It also has a VIP Room, a Make-up Room, a Dance Practice Room, a Ticket Box, a Loading Dock area, a Lobby, modern sound and lighting systems, air conditioning, and an LED billboard.
Teater Kecil (Little Theatre) is a theatre space for smaller-scale productions compared to the Grand Theatre. Its unique feature is a composite hydraulic system within the audience seats, which allows for flexible artistic performances. This theatre space is ideal for experimental artistic works or young artists who are interested in indie music, chamber concerts, student performances, concerts, campus community works, and more. The Little Theatre has a wooden stage that measures 10 x 8.5 m2, with a height of 1.1 m from the floor and 6 m from the bar. It can accommodate 242 audience members (top and bottom). Teater Kecil also has a Dressing Room, a Lobby area, complete sound and lighting systems, air conditioning, and an LED billboard.
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