WEST BANGKA -- The courtyard of the nationally designated cultural heritage site, the Mentok Indonesia Tin Museum (MTI), once again came alive with the creativity of the younger generation. The historic site managed by PT TIMAH (Persero) Tbk served as a stage for artistic performances during Seruni Art Festival III, organized by the Seruni Production Foundation on Friday evening (September 25, 2026).
The festival received an enthusiastic response from the community. Students, art communities, MSME entrepreneurs, regional officials, and residents of West Bangka filled the museum grounds to enjoy a variety of performances presented by local artists.
The atmosphere grew even more vibrant with dance performances and folk theater involving young performers. Beyond serving as a stage for artistic expression, the event also featured an MSME bazaar, providing local creative economy entrepreneurs with an opportunity to showcase and market their products.
The selection of the Mentok Indonesia Tin Museum as the festival venue also highlighted the role of the historic site as a public space that can support and foster community creativity.
As the manager of the Mentok Indonesia Tin Museum, PT TIMAH provided facilities and infrastructure to support the smooth implementation of the festival.
Chairperson of Seruni Production Art Studio, Anisa Pratiwi, said the decision to hold the event at the Mentok Indonesia Tin Museum was closely linked to the museum’s significance in the history of Mentok and West Bangka.
“PT TIMAH is part of Mentok’s history. We want the younger generation to understand that history while also having the courage to express it through art,” she said.
She explained that the Seruni Production Foundation has organized the Seruni Art Festival three times as a platform for students to express themselves, innovate, and develop their creativity, particularly in dance.
“Seruni Production Foundation has a big dream to preserve our cultural roots, nurture the artistic talents of the younger generation, and bring pride to the region,” she said.
In organizing the Seruni Art Festival, the Seruni Production Foundation has also utilized PT TIMAH facilities on several occasions. The first festival was held at the Mentok Indonesia Tin Museum, while the following event took place at PT TIMAH’s Majapahit Building.
“Throughout the three editions of the Seruni Art Festival, we have collaborated with PT TIMAH. Whenever Seruni Foundation holds an arts festival, we use facilities and infrastructure provided by PT TIMAH,” she explained.
Seruni Art Festival III featured performances not only from Seruni Production Art Studio of West Bangka, but also from Marga Gemilang Grismantara Art Studio from Belitung. The performances received appreciation from West Bangka Regent Markus, members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), and the attending community.
Anisa expressed her appreciation for PT TIMAH’s support for the arts festival, which provides a platform for her students to showcase their creativity.
“We would like to thank PT TIMAH for its support. We hope that this support can be further strengthened in the future, particularly in providing greater attention to our students. Currently, our foundation educates 117 students,” she said.
Meanwhile, West Bangka Regent Markus expressed his appreciation for the implementation of Seruni Art Festival III. According to him, arts and cultural activities such as this not only provide a platform for creative expression but also generate economic activity for the community.
He noted that the enthusiasm of the audience, along with the large number of MSME entrepreneurs selling their products around the venue, demonstrated the festival’s potential to support the region’s tourism and creative economy sectors.
“This festival is very appealing to the community. The enthusiasm of both the audience and MSME entrepreneurs is clearly visible. I saw so many vendors here tonight, which is something we rarely see. This can serve as a driving force for our tourism sector,” he said.
According to Markus, an arts festival featuring dance, music, theater, and MSMEs can help revitalize public spaces while strengthening the appeal of culture-based tourism in West Bangka.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Rina Erzaliana, a local MSME entrepreneur supported by PT TIMAH. She said events such as the Seruni Art Festival have had a positive impact on her business.
“Alhamdulillah, events like this have helped increase our sales turnover. Hopefully, more activities like this will be organized in the future. Thank you to the organizing committee,” she said. (*)
