Regeneration Of Artists, Semarang City Government Prepares Wayang Academy

Semarang Mayor Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti was accompanied by related staff at the Wayang Semesta Festival, in Semarang, Saturday (8/11/2025). BETWEEN/HO-Semarang City Government

SEMARANG - As a step in the regeneration of artists, the Semarang City Government plans to establish the Wayang Academy, a place to study for children who want to pursue the world of wayang seriously.

Semarang Mayor Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti in Semarang, Saturday, said that the academy would have concepts like an art pesantren.

This was conveyed on the sidelines of the Wayang Semesta Festival which took place at the Pancasila Simpang Lima Field, Semarang.

So, he said, the participants would be "nanti" to learn various things ranging from understanding characters, practicing dialogue, to appearing in real performances.

"Later on, the children can choose the character they want to play, it could be Srikandi, Pandawa, or other figures. After understanding the role, they will train and appear regularly at TBRS every week," he said, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, November 8.

Later, he said, around 50 children will take part in the initial stage of training financed by the Semarang City Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD).

The target is, on World Wayang Day next year, the participants will be able to perform a full action with the Ngesti Pandowo group.

"We hope that this is where a new generation will be born who will guard the fire of puppet art so that time will not be extinguished," he said.

Regarding the event, Agustina plans to make the Wayang Semesta Festival an annual routine agenda in the city of Semarang.

"We want activities like this to be held regularly every year. In the future, we hope that in one year we will be able to prepare puppet players from among the younger generation," he said.

In addition, the Semarang City Government will also restore the Ngesti Pandowo building which has been designated as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTb).

The physical renovation will begin this year, followed by interior repairs and performance equipment next year.

"The old clothes and costumes will be treated as 'heritage' wealth. We will also provide new costumes to keep the appearance attractive and decent," he said.

For the Semarang City Government, preserving wayang is not only preserving buildings and objects, but also ensuring that the knowledge and value behind it is inherited to the younger generation.

"Humans do not live forever, but science and tradition can last forever if forwarded to children," he concluded.