The Kuta Karnival 2007

The Kuta Karnival has been a highlight of the Bali events calendar since its inception in 2003. Developed as a response to the tragic bombings that occurred the year before, the Karnival was intended to celebrate all that is good about Kuta and to help revive its then flagging fortunes.
Four years on and Kuta is not only booming, but evolving too, with a raft of new venues adding a veneer of sophistication that’s managed to breakdown the invisible divide with its trendy neighbour, Seminyak. The Karnival too continues to evolve, though its original raison d’etre has probably changed somewhat. 2007 turned out to be a particularly challenging year for the Kuta Karnival. The steering committee had already agreed that if by June funding targets had not been met, the Karnival wouldn’t go ahead. With a major corporate sponsor pulling out and government funding not guaranteed, the decision to cancel had almost been made, but at the last minute, just enough government funding and corporate sponsorship came through to make the event feasible. This meant that both time and money were short, with the result that Kuta Karnival 2007 didn’t enjoy the kind of promotion nor high profile it had in previous years.

Meanwhile, the surf/skate industry, one of the mainstays of the Karnival, took a big step back due possibly the changes in management structure that now sees most of the big surf/skate brands running their Bali operations out of Australia. That, with Base Skate park already being established elsewhere, meant the impressive full skate area that graced Kuta beach last year was replaced by a smaller ramp for one single day of beach-based activities instead of a full week of it like years gone by.

Despite these challenges however, 23 different events still took place across a range of venues, most of them a great success. A number of corporate sponsors came on board to ensure that the beach was still a hive of activity, with Suzuki and local clothing brand Cardinal supporting the music side of things on the specially erected stage and various other sponsors both local and national offering their support. In addition, community organizations, charities and cultural and arts based initiatives were represented both on the beach and at the popular Bali Food Festival. An Islamic Festival taking place at Discovery Shopping Mall also fell under the Kuta Karnival Umbrella.
According to one of Kuta Karnival’s key organizers, Gilda Sagrado, the steering committee is looking at new ways of anchoring funding for next year to ensure there is ample time for proper promotion as well as a balanced program of events. “We’re putting together a book this year which will feature images from high profile international photographers,” she explains. “This should give us the kind of leverage we need to generate more funds.”

The question of sponsorship is not only a financial concern. Whilst funding from business may be welcome, it can become overbearing, with branding concerns eclipsing the community aspect that is supposed to be at the heart of Kuta Karnival. For example, it might be interesting to add a marquee to the legions of brand banners that are erected, or for sponsors to think of new ways of generating brand recognition and visibility through their support of the Kuta Karnival and not as a privilege gained from that support.
“Of course, to an extent you have to dance to your sponsor’s tune,” says Gilda, “money is not usually received until 3 months after the event and if they decide to make a complaint, they can reduce or even withhold payment.”
The aim next year is to achieve a broader portfolio of sponsors, with strong support from local and national government. “The DPRD (regional administration) has just committed to incorporating the Kuta Karnival into its yearly budget as a regular event,” says Nigel Geary, chairman of the Food Festival. “This should make things a lot easier next time round,” he adds. The Food Festival was a great success once again, with 15% more stall space and a brand new stage (hosted by The Beat Magazine) drawing greater numbers on both the Saturday and the Sunday. What’s more, a good 60% of attendees were locals, testament to the Food Fest’s cosmopolitan character.

In part, the kind of issues the Kuta Karnival currently faces are due to its seminal success. Since its inception, a slew of similar festivals have appeared, creating a veritable ‘party season’ from the latter part of August through early October. Sanur Village Festival in particular has made a splash since its inauguration in 2006, attracting major sponsorship and offering a broad range of activities and entertainment. Whilst there is bound to be competition between different areas, there is also the chance to co-operate in developing package style promotions highlighting festivals like Kuta Karnival, Sanur Village Festival, Nusa Dua Festival, Ubud Writer’s Festival. “We could use these different events together to help promote Bali at key events like the World Tourism Fair,” says Gilda.

The Kuta Karnival’s organizers should be commended for knuckling down under difficult circumstances and delivering if not the best or biggest Kuta Karnival, one that has the potential to act as a bridge and a guide to future events. Had it not gone ahead this year, it would surely have been a step backwards for all of us.