February 4, 2025 – On 4 February 2026, Two students from the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies Master’s Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada, participated in CREAFTA 2026 conference: International Conference on Creative Practices in Film, Theatre and Animation. This conference is being held in a hybrid format (physical and online) by the Faculty of Film, Theater, and Animation, Universiti Teknologi Islam Malaysia (UiTM) Malaysia, from February 3-4, 2026.
The conference theme is “Innovation, Culture, and Collaboration in the Creative Arts” as an effort to reach out and observe the development of creative arts practices across countries today. The conference discuss several aspects, such as technological innovation intersecting with artistic practice, the role of art in discussing cultural identity, collaborative practices in the creative industry, sustainability and the future direction of art, as well as the creative industry and cultural policies that influence the development of art. The keynote speaker at this conference: Emeritus Professor Dr. Azizah Hamzah (Malaysia) and the Plenary Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Angelo Leonard Yu (Philippines).
At this conference, two master’s students, Juanda M Arvis and Yuwono Nur Utama, reviewed and discussed their research findings entitled “Sustaining the Independent Art Festival: Social Capital and Mutual Interest in Festival Lima Gunung”. This research highlights how the Lima Gunung Festival has managed to maintain its independence without relying on corporate sponsors or government funding. Through the lens of Robert D. Putnam’s social capital theory, Arvis and Yuwono analyzed the three main strategies that are the spirit of this festival: Trust, Social Network, and Norms of Reciprocity.
This research concludes that cultural sustainability is not solely determined by the amount of financial capital, but rather by the extent to which social capital is converted into community strength. This finding also serves as a critique of community art practices that often treat residents as mere objects of “tokenism.” In contrast, the Lima Gunung Festival (FLG) is a clear example of financial independence, proving that social capital can effectively replace financial capital as the main driver in sustaining an event for decades. This stability is rooted in a collaborative ecosystem that prioritizes collective expression over profit, ensuring that the festival remains resilient and independent. As stated by Sutanto Mendut (President of the Lima Gunung Community), FLG is not managed with a rigid management system, but rather functions as a ‘small history’ driven by social cohesion and the deep intimacy of local communities.
According to Juanda M Arvis, the Lima Gunung Festival is a practical example of art and society, in which all stakeholders, including the organizers (the Lima Gunung Community), the local community, and artists, are inclusively involved and enjoy an equal reciprocal relationship. This fosters collaborative work and builds mutual interest among stakeholders. As a result, the Lima Gunung Festival can be held independently without the need for sponsors or external funding. This is because the festival has strong social capital.
According to Yuwono Nur Utama, the sustainability of the Lima Gunung Festival (FLG) is largely determined by the establishment of trust between the parties involved. This trust does not arise spontaneously, but is built through openness that strengthens social capital, comfort and active participation, trust among stakeholders, and community independence, which is then reinforced by collaborative practices and social networks.
The participation of Juanda M Arvis and Yuwono Nur Utama contributes to research practices related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely:
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Contributing research findings that highlight efforts to strengthen community identity and its existence amidst contemporary dynamics.
- SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals – Engaging in a conference that fosters collaboration between universities and academic experts from various countries, thereby creating a vast space for knowledge exchange (JMA & YNU)
