The role of Kuala Lumpur as a creative city in the formation of Bangsawan art activists and audiences

• Main Authors: Deenerwan, Marlenny, Said, Haneem
• Format: Article
• Published: Univ Kebangsaan Malaysia, Fac Social Sciences & Humanities 2021
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/35136/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Since its golden era in the Malay States in the 1920s, the Bangsawan art form was categorized as an urban theatre, due to the rapid urbanization in the cities the art form has been performed. This is a rarely discussed issue as the existing research focuses more on the elements of performing arts contained in Bangsawan art form. This research aims to analyse the role of Kuala Lumpur as an important factor in the growth of Bangsawan groups and their audience in Malaysia. Furthermore, this role raises the importance of Kuala Lumpur as a creative city in the context of arts and culture development. This study uses qualitative research methods. The data resulted from interviews as well as document analysis. Content analysis was conducted by applying the principles of the creative city of arts and culture of the Yokohama experimental model. The study found the role of Kuala Lumpur as a centre for the development of Bangsawan activities, especially in the post-Independence era. The activities successfully produced Bangsawan groups composed of the young generation with a contemporary approach as well as a large group of audiences. The application of the Yokohama experimental model as a framework in this study has highlights the feature of Kuala Lumpur as a creative city of arts and culture. The evaluation made on the initiative and commitment achieved through the Bangsawan activities. Through the discussion of the three principles of the model, Bangsawan and Kuala Lumpur have created synergies that have had a major impact on the identity of Kuala Lumpur as a creative city of arts and culture. Bangsawan's activities successfully develop a creative environment as well as bring together the artistic and creative individuals in Kuala Lumpur. The staging programs of Bangsawan have also created creative industry clusters that increase economic activities. In the meantime, the citizens of Kuala Lumpur play a role in achieving the vision of reviving Kuala Lumpur as a creative city of arts and culture. As a result, Kuala Lumpur has become a major factor in the most successful revival of traditional theatre that has ever happened in Malaysia.