The Art Festival is one of the biggest student events at Jakarta International University. The Art Festival brings together students from every corner of Indonesia and beyond to celebrate the beautiful diversity we have here on campus. This year’s theme was Samasta Nusa, which comes from Sanskrit. Samasta means “all, comprehensive, without exception,” and Nusa means “island, land, territory, the place we stand.” It’s such a powerful name because it captures exactly what the festival is about: celebrating every culture, every tradition, and every story that makes our university community so special.

The day kicked off with a short drama that told the story of Samasta Nusa, performed by two of our talented JIU students. After that, we were taken on an amazing journey across Indonesia and around the world.

First up was Kalimantan, showcasing the beautiful sounds of the Sape instrument along with stunning traditional dances. Then, a student band, ‘Tambal Band,’ took the stage, playing traditional Indonesian songs that had everyone singing along. Sumatra followed with the famous Tari Saman and other traditional dances from Sumatra.

The Java team brought together different cultures from the island of Java in one beautiful performance, blending traditional songs and dances in a way that truly showed the richness of the island. After that, the Kendali Rasa band kept the energy up with a lively set.

Nusa Tenggara Timur brought festive traditional dances that had the whole crowd cheering, and the amazing event continued with the Papua team’s musical drama about their homeland. They ended with a beautiful poem that honestly gave the audience goosebumps. It was such a heartfelt tribute to their island.

The Deliora vocal team came next, singing traditional songs from Sabang to Merauke, literally from one end of Indonesia to the other. Then, Sulawesi absolutely brought down the house. Not only did they perform amazing dances, but they also invited everyone to dance with them. The Vastra team followed with an awesome dance performance to the song ‘Lathi,’ and then we shifted to international performances. Our Korean students sang beautiful songs about their homeland, the Egypt team showcased traditional Egyptian dances, and the Afghanistan team performed festive dances that had everyone clapping along. The HRC dance team closed out the performances with a grand finale that was absolutely spectacular.

After all those amazing performances, we moved into the cultural exhibition session. This is where things got really interactive. Each team decorated a stand representing their island or country.

Walking through the exhibition felt like traveling across Indonesia and around the world in one afternoon. There were traditional fabrics, accessories, regional foods and drinks, and music playing from every corner—it was a complete sensory experience. Some stands even offered traditional tattoo services, which drew massive crowds throughout the day.

The stands were judged by a panel of jury members, and the day ended with everyone gathering for the winner announcements. However, every team did an amazing job with their decorations. They truly showed their creativity, effort, and pride in their cultures.

Art Festival 2026 wasn’t just about performances and exhibitions; it was about connection. It was about understanding that our differences don’t divide us; instead, they make us stronger and more interesting. Samasta Nusa reminded us that whether we’re from Java, Sumatra, Papua, South Korea, Egypt, or Afghanistan, we all have stories worth sharing and cultures worth celebrating.

The stands were judged by a panel of jury members, and the day ended with everyone gathering for the winner announcements. However, the whole team did really amazing with their decorations. They really showed their creativity, effort, and pride in their cultures.

Art Festival 2026 wasn’t just about performances and exhibitions; it was about connection. It was about understanding that our differences don’t divide us, instead they make us stronger and more interesting. Samasta Nusa reminded us that whether we’re from Java, Sumatra, Papua, South Korea, Egypt, or Afghanistan, we all have stories worth sharing and cultures worth celebrating.

Article by Communication, Media, and Public Relation Team of JIU Student Union 2026