DENPASAR ~

Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika suggested that cash given to older artists can be improved from previous years, it is as a form of appreciation for the servant of arts.

“Indeed they do not expect it, but it’s a form of our appreciation on their merits,” Pastika said while chairing a coordination meeting of the 37th Bali Arts Festival, in Denpasar on Wednesday.

Issues relating to the provision of money amounting to IDR6 million for each old artist for this year, according to him, is still too small.

“It should be more than 6 million, while Parliament’s grants reaching IDR100 million,” he said.

Therefore, Pastika suggested to look for other sources of funding in order to raise funds for old artists.

Pastika said that he also feels sorry if the old artists have to go to Denpasar, moreover for those carrying a stick just to get small appreciation.

“On the other hand, the artists often feel proud to live in poverty. But that view has to be changed, because the artists also have families,” he said.

The Governor reminded, related to the preservation of culture, should not be too complacent with the past and forget the future.

“I entrusted the challenge of how to apply the knowledge in culture and adopt it in accordance with the times,” said Pastika.