By: Isradina Paricha
Yogyakarta, October 11th – 12th 2025 — Students of the Performing and Visual Arts Studies Master Program (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), established cross-disciplinary and cross-spatial learning with a field study at the Yogyakarta Cultural Festival (FKY) 2025. The themed was Adoh Ratu Cedhak Watu and held in Logandeng, Playen, Gunungkidul. This activity served as a meeting ground of theory and practice, as well as a celebration of culture, art, and sustainability in harmony with UGM’s academic spirit.
This field study integrated several core PSPSR courses, including Institutional Management and Event Development, Art and Policy, Art and Tourism, and Theories of Performance. Through this interdisciplinary approach, students were encouraged to understand how artistic practices and cultural events operate in real-world contexts—from planning and production to community participation.
Students from the 2024 Even and 2025 Odd cohorts, accompanied by lecturers and academic staff, departed from UGM Graduate School on Saturday afternoon (October 11th). The enthusiasm was palpable from the very beginning of the journey, as lively discussions on art and culture filled the bus en route to Gunungkidul. Upon arriving at Logandeng Field, students were welcomed by the warm and festive atmosphere: rows of community tents, art exhibitions, and the sound of gamelan blending with the lively chatter of local residents.
The highlight of the first day was a meeting and discussion with the ABDW Art Project, one of the commissioned artists of FKY 2025, who presented an installation project titled “Sumur Tiban”. The piece visualized a well and a rainwater collector house—symbols closely tied to the lives of Logandeng residents—serving as a medium for reflecting on the relationship between humans, water, and living space. PSPSR students actively participated in the dialogue, exploring the ideas behind the work and reinterpreting them through the lens of art theory learned in class.
Students also conducted observations at Pasaraya Adat FKY, a cultural economy space that brought together local cuisine, traditional crafts, and community expressions. They sampled Gunungkidul’s signature dishes, attended a weton (Javanese birthdate) reading, and enjoyed campursari performances under the festival lights. One of the most memorable moments was meeting the Pawon Hajat Khasiat women’s collective, who initiated a community kitchen as a space for sharing stories, recipes, and local values. From this encounter, students learned how community creativity can contribute to sustainable cultural development.
Students also witnessed Pawai Rajakaya, a collaborative parade involving 14 local groups. What made this parade unique was the participation of villagers’ livestock, lovingly cared for as valuable assets and symbols of the bond between humans and nature. The animals, adorned with ubo rampe and hanging kupat, were paraded alongside farmers and residents, symbolizing harmony among humans, animals, and the environment. This agrarian tradition found new life within the context of a contemporary festival.
The second day (October 12th) continued with a visit to House of Menep, an art space and residence involving in FKY. The discussion atmosphere was relaxed yet reflective, accompanied by breakfast and warm tea, as students engaged directly with artists and festival organizers to discuss curatorial strategies, cultural work dynamics, and challenges in managing local art events. Through these interactions, theories learned in the classroom took tangible form—illustrating art as a space for social, economic, and political encounters.
This PSPSR UGM field study was a contextual learning experience and also a concrete contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In terms of SDG 4 (Quality Education), direct field engagement enriched the students’ transformative learning process beyond the confines of formal classrooms. From the perspective of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), interactions with local artists and creative economy actors revealed the potential for culture-based sustainable tourism. Equally important, the activity supported SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by emphasizing the importance of cultural heritage preservation and community participation in building inclusive living spaces.
PSPSR UGM’s field study also at FKY 2025 became a space for the convergence of ideas, emotions, and experiences. The students were not merely observers but active participants in a living cultural ecosystem—engaging, dialoguing, and reflecting on the meaning of art within broader social contexts. This activity reaffirmed PSPSR UGM’s commitment to nurturing graduates who are culturally aware, critically analytical, and actively involved in advancing artistic practice and sustainability in Indonesia.