KabarJawa.com – The Gunungkidul Regency Government through the Culture Service (Kundha Kakulturn) officially opened the 2026 Gunungkidul Regency Level Kethoprak Festival at the Gunungkidul Cultural Park (TBG) Auditorium, Monday (6/7/2026) evening.
The opening of the festival was lively and attended by the Regent of Gunungkidul Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih, members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), heads of regional organizations, cultural figures, artists and community leaders.
The festival is one of the regional government’s efforts to maintain the continuity of the art of kethoprak as a Javanese cultural heritage amidst the times and changing patterns of public entertainment.
Since the afternoon, the auditorium began to fill with spectators who came to watch the performances of participants from various Kapanewon in Gunungkidul.
The atmosphere at the opening was lively with art performances highlighting Javanese cultural and historical values.
Head of the Gunungkidul Culture Service, Agung Danarto, said that the Kethoprak Festival is not only a venue for performing arts competitions, but also a means of regeneration for traditional arts practitioners.
According to him, the festival is expected to increase public interest, especially the younger generation, in the art of kethoprak.
“The government continues to strive to ensure that the art of kethoprak continues to exist, develops and is increasingly popular with all levels of society, especially young people,” said Agung.
He explained that the holding of the festival has a strong legal basis, including Law Number 13 of 2012 concerning the Specialties of the Yogyakarta Special Region, DIY Regional Regulations concerning Cultural Maintenance, as well as Gunungkidul Regency Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2021.
The 2026 Kethoprak Festival takes place from 6 to 14 July 2026.
During implementation, the performance schedule will adjust to other regional agendas taking place during the same period.
This year, the committee chose a theme “Mataram after the Giyanti Agreement” which tells the history of the Mataram Kingdom after the Giyanti Agreement, starting from the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I to Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono II.
Through this theme, participants and audiences are invited to understand various historical events related to the development of Yogyakarta, including the story of Babat Alas Pring which is an important part of the history of the founding of the region.
Gunungkidul Regent Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih emphasized that traditional art has an important role in maintaining cultural identity as well as being a medium for historical learning for the community.
In her speech, Endah invited the public to continue to appreciate and preserve their cultural heritage.
“History is very important to remind us that our identity as a nation is based on high culture,” he said.
A total of 18 Kapanewon took part in the 2026 Kethoprak Festival.
Each contingent presented their best work using a theme determined by the committee.
The assessment was carried out by a jury consisting of academics and art practitioners, namely Anom Sutrisno, S.Sn., M.Sn., Oki Suryaniwati, S.Sn., Dr. Indra Tranggono, and Alvian Anggorukti, S.Pd., M.Pd.
Apart from awards for the best group, the committee also gave appreciation for individual categories, such as Best Director, Best Scriptwriter, Best Stylist, Best Main Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Costume Artist and Best Make-up Artist.
The Gunungkidul Regency Government hopes that this festival can become a space for expression for local artists while strengthening efforts to preserve traditional art in the region.
All performances can be watched live at the Gunungkidul Cultural Park Auditorium free of charge.
For people who cannot attend, the committee also provides broadcasts via the Gunungkidul Culture YouTube channel.
According to the Regent, the involvement of the younger generation in arts and culture activities is an important factor in maintaining the sustainability of kethoprak as one of the cultural identities of Javanese society.
“Through this festival, we hope that the potential and talent of local artists, especially the younger generation, will continue to develop so that the art of kethoprak remains sustainable and can be enjoyed by the wider community,” said Endah.
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