Natah ASTI Bali

The Indonesian Academy of Dance Arts (Akademi Seni Tari Indonesia – ASTI) Denpasar was established by the Regional Government of the Province of Bali on January 28, 1967, pursuant to the Decree of the Governor and Head of Region Level I Bali Number 2/Pem/5/I/a/1967, upon the initiative of the Cultural Advisory and Development Council (Majelis Pertimbangan dan Pembinaan Kebudayaan / Listibya). The establishment of ASTI Denpasar was based on the Fundamental Policy Framework for the Development of Balinese Regional Culture, which emphasized the preservation, exploration, cultivation, and advancement of Balinese cultural heritage. The increasing interaction between culture and technology, as well as the growing number of artists passing away, raised concerns about the potential extinction of several forms of traditional Balinese arts. Consequently, it became imperative to provide arts education for the younger generation as heirs and preservers of the nation’s cultural heritage.

Two years after its founding, ASTI Denpasar was granted national status by the Ministry of Education and Culture through Decree Number 066/1969 dated August 7, 1969, and was designated as a department under ASTI Yogyakarta, with its administration overseen by the Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education and Culture. For eight years, ASTI Denpasar operated under the Directorate General of Culture. Due to changes in the organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Culture, since 1976 its administration has been overseen by the Directorate General of Higher Education. The director of ASTI during the period of 1967 to 1981 was I Wayan Mertha Sutedja, B.A., followed by Dr. I Made Bandem from 1981 to 1988. During Dr. I Made Bandem’s tenure, ASTI Denpasar became widely recognized by the Balinese community for its significant contributions in exploring, developing, and advancing Balinese arts and culture.