The charm of Sidareja, Indonesia’s first cartoon village
The uniqueness of art and culture has become the new identity of Sidareja village in Purbalingga Regency of Indonesia
PURBALINGGA, Indonesia (MNTV) – The uniqueness of art and culture has become the new identity of Sidareja village in Purbalingga Regency of Indonesia, reports RRI.
In recent years, this previously underdeveloped village has transformed through an unconventional approach: using cartoons as a medium to revive ancient Javanese traditions.
This creative idea gave birth to Cartoon Village Sidareja, Indonesia’s first cartoon village, as reported by the official website of the Tourism Ministry.
Cartoon Village Sidareja is the result of five years of creative work initiated by husband-and-wife team Slamet Santosa and Gita Yohanna Thomdean, founders of Kie Art School. The art village features murals on residents’ homes that serve as storytelling spaces about local art, culture, and traditions.
Seventeen houses in the village’s core area have been transformed into a 350-meter-long art gallery. The works on display are available for purchase, with proceeds shared between the homeowner and the painter. In addition, 20 percent of the art revenue is allocated to support village development.
Visitors walking along the gallery path can enjoy paintings by local and international artists, watch art performances, participate in cultural learning activities, and sample traditional dishes served free of charge by local women as a gesture of hospitality.
“This gallery can be said to be the longest art gallery in Indonesia, measuring 350 meters. It’s very interesting, very beautiful, and well worth a visit,” said Purbalingga Regent Fahmi M. Hanif, a visitor.
He praised the creativity and innovation behind the art village’s creation and said the initiative would inspire other villages in Purbalingga to preserve their local arts and culture in similar ways.
“We are committed to supporting creative spaces like this. Art is a wonderful way to build national character, strengthen the creative economy, and promote the region at the national and international levels,” he emphasized.
The village also provides free painting training to 200 local children to nurture a creative younger generation while maintaining cultural sustainability.
Gita Yohanna Thomdean explained that she chose cartoons as the primary medium because the art form resonates strongly with Generation Z, who grew up immersed in the visual culture of cartoons and animated games.
Many artists from Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang, and Jakarta have contributed sketches, assisted by Sidareja’s youth. In the future, Cartoon Village Sidareja aims to decorate 88 houses with Instagram-worthy murals that tell stories of village legends, traditional games, dances, foods, and values.
Gita said the murals will be periodically rotated to maintain a fresh atmosphere. Through a profit-sharing system and community participation, she hopes the village will benefit economically while strengthening a sense of ownership in its development.
“We hope Cartoon Village will not only be a space for expression, but also have an economic impact and empower the community,” Gita said.
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