LAST year, I missed the Johor Baru Arts Festival (JBAF) because I was travelling and returned only to catch the tail end of the annual arts fest.
I was travelling again this year but came home just in time as the month-long 11th JB Arts Festival kicked off.
Even though I was abroad, I was in touch with local news and read with much delight about the opening of the JB Performing Arts Centre (JBPAC) in Danga City Mall.
JBPAC, on Level 4M of Danga City Mall is divided into two sections — the White Box, a gallery for exhibitions and art activities and the Black Box for performances.
Since August, the Black Box saw a crowd gathered every Saturday night to discover more budding local talents in the Singer-Songwriters Open Microphone sessions.
This year, the JBAF Festival Village is at Dataran Bandaraya while the Main Stage remains at Bukit Timbalan with other performance venues in JB, including the JBPAC and Puteri Harbour.
I must commend Danga City Mall for welcoming JBPAC into its premises and look forward to seeing other building owners offering their space as arts and culture facilities.
This is the first step in the right direction because visual and performing arts not only require space for shows, studios and exhibitions but also need proper parking facilities for visitors and audiences. It is a win-win situation because the mall may also enjoy an economic boost as more people go to shows and visit the gallery.
Last week, I was at several JBAF shows and when I met its founder, adviser and curator Yap Siong Cheng, he asked if I went to see any shows in London.
I certainly did and told him how I thoroughly enjoyed the musical comedy Top Hat in its nationwide tour at a theatre built within a mall in Milton Keynes.
Just like Yap, who has an appreciation for the performing arts in London’s West End, I never missed an opportunity to watch live shows during my visit to the UK.
I know that the visual and performing arts scene in JB cannot be compared to that of London and other international cities but as a developing city that aims to attract people and investors, there is a need to make provision for the development of arts and culture in JB.
The JBAF is in its 11th year and it is sad to see that the value of arts and culture is not acknowledged by the city, particularly with the lack of infrastructure for live performances.
While some of the acts in the festival calendar may be amateurs, most of the invited performers are music recording artistes with careers in the international scene and their acts should be staged in venues with proper facilities.
And by facilities I mean venues that are well-equipped to ensure that the performances are not hindered by poor acoustics or sub-standard equipment that does not function properly and where there are no dressing rooms and toilets.
The two main venues for the 11th JBAF shows are still in tents and while there is a time and place for outdoor shows, these venues are unsuitable for class acts.
The organisers are doing its best, but a great deal more can be done to provide suitable venues.
The JBAF is an excellent platform to introduce Nading Rhapsody’s fusion of avant-garde Borneo ethnic music in JB. I liked their composition Umbas, an Iban song that called for a stop to discrimination, destruction and racism.
The Xiong Quartet also made their debut in JBAF with a mix of jazz improvisations of Brazilian music such as samba and bossa nova and the audience was thrilled that the show was extended because it was earlier interrupted to stop a droning sound from the PA system.
Popular fusion music band AkashA sweated it out with the audience during its show because all the overhead fans had broken down and worse still, all shows were cancelled one evening because of flash floods and traffic congestion in the city after a downpour.
Arts and culture form part of the urban value system and reflects the quality of life for the community and if JB aims to project itself competitively in the international arena, then we should have proper infrastructure.
I am privileged to attend many shows in the city and where I have met the cast backstage, I also see the deplorable state of facilities that are poorly maintained, some even with fused lights and no nearby toilets.
With larger casts, they are forced to make costume changes between scenes in the stairwell and other corners, but the audience remains unaware of this because these artistes are professionals and the show simply went on.
The stage and auditorium facilities in the city are multi-purpose halls that are inaccessible due to high costs or unsuitable as they are without lighting and sound amenities.
The time is ripe to create more venues in JB with well-equipped black box spaces and sprung floors.
There is nothing like the pleasure of watching live performances and I’m proud that JB has no lack of talented and creative people who are making an impact in the international art circles.
They have taken their art to the highest level and are ready to contribute to the local scene but are let down by the absence of proper infrastructure here.
As part of a strategy to draw new investments, Johor Baru must strengthen its cultural offerings not only with art festivals but to map out our assets such as art galleries, heritage districts, conservation areas and creative talents, and then integrate arts and culture into all aspects of urban development.