Malang, en.SERU.co.id – Globalizing Universitas Brawijaya (UB) officially opened the DIPA Media Art Festival 2026 themed “Responding Malang as UNESCO City of Media Art,” from October 27–November 2, 2026, at the Gazebo Raden Wijaya UB. This festival collaborates immersive technology innovation, fine arts exploration, up to ethnogaastronomy, to hone the passionpreneur potential across disciplines of students and the general public.
Vice Rector IV of Universitas Brawijaya, Prof. Andi Kurniawan SPi MEng DSc, emphasized that this collaborative event presents a space for immersive media art creation based on technology. As a form of digital transformation of education and a concrete step to encourage the creative industry ecosystem in Malang City.
“If we look at the history of civilization, borrowing the logic of one of the assumptions of social theory, technological determinism, then all joints of life will be changed along with the development of technology. Borrowing this logic, what happens in art, science and technology, and civilization will greatly depend on the development of technology. So our shared challenge is to make technology the next step to get closer to the glory of civilization,” said Prof. Andi, as he is popularly known, opening the DIPA Media Art Festival 2026 on Tuesday evening, October 27, 2026.
At Universitas Brawijaya, the mandate given is to become a pioneer, to become a reformer with a culture-based industry foundation. Both culture that becomes an industrial commodity or culture as part of the manifestation of the glory of character. So filling empty spaces with the light of creativity is clearly one civilizational achievement.
“Globalizing UB in principle strives to incubate the comparative advantages that exist at UB, so that they can be delivered to become an international outlook. One of the main ecosystems and the status of Malang City as a UNESCO Creative City Network in Media Art. Therefore, UB strives to combine all of that, DIPA has smart creative ideas, so this Media Art Festival was born,” explained Prof. Andi.
Prof. Andi emphasized that seeing the high enthusiasm from students and the art community, the DIPA Media Art Festival is very worthy of being projected as an annual event at the UB Campus.
In agreement, Secretary of Universitas Brawijaya (SekUn), Dr. Tri Wahyu Nugroho SP MSi, conveyed that this festival serves as a trigger for creativity. Like the iceberg phenomenon and the reality in the field, its creativity potential is believed to be far greater.
“Like paintings combined immersively, with the variants of study programs that exist at the university, the potential will be far greater than now. Collaboration of fine arts children, graphic design, and so on, including being collaborated with gastronomy, ethnogaastronomy. This is a new experience to enjoy works in the form of culinary that is actually ethnogaastronomy and this is very interesting,” said Tri Wahyu.
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Meanwhile, Executive Director of DIPA MediArt Festival 2026, Dr. Redy Eko Prasetyo, stated that DIPA MediArt Festival 2026 serves as a trigger for the growth of the media art ecosystem. At the same time developing the media art and technology-based creativity ecosystem within the UB environment. Designed to facilitate students from various majors so they can develop their art talents (passionpreneur).
“Globalizing Universitas Brawijaya (GUB) presents DIPA MediArt Festival 2026, part of the priority program to expand cross-disciplinary collaboration. By developing creative talents, as well as strengthening the university’s branding through innovation and activation of public spaces,” explained Redi, as this long-haired lecturer is addressed.
According to Redy, media art does not stop at the aesthetic aspect. Its practice requires a multidisciplinary response that brings together technology, science, humanities, and communication.
“That approach opens opportunities for students and young talents to explore ideas. At the same time develop the ability to create works through collaboration,” he stressed.
DIPA MediArt Festival 2026 takes place every day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. WIB. Covering art discussions, lecture classes inside immersive spaces, up to the unique Silent Disco action as a form of campaign for handling sound pollution through technological intervention. Silent Disco uses headsets, the audience enters the immersive space in the context of balancing so as not to cause sound pollution.
“The program curation process we base on three main pillars, namely ecological issues, culture, and economy. All elements starting from art performances themed on water issues, immersive technology, up to ethnogaastronomy culinary exploration. Are united to build a creative spring ecosystem that departs from Universitas Brawijaya,” concluded Redi. (rhd)
