Every region in Indonesia has a cultural festival or carnival culture that carries in each area, for example the city of Solo in “Solo Batik Carnival”, Jember city with “Jember Fashion Carnival” and many more. Then Batam has its own cultural festival called “Kenduri Seni Melayu” or ” Malay Arts Festival”.
Cultural festival in Batam showing typical Malay culture both from Riau islands and the Riau mainland as the homeland of the Malays. The Malay Art Festival held regularly every year in December in Dataran Engku Putri, Batam city to celebrate the anniversary of the city of Batam. Despite its name Malay Art Festival but in its implementation it is not only show Malay art, but also followed by other cultures that exist in Indonesia. Malay Art Festival was also attended by participants from neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.
Malay indigenous culture that is always displayed at the Malay Art Festival is Mak Yong culture. Mak Yong’s art is very rarely displayed in the middle of the community, so the event Malay Art Festival be one way to preserve the culture of the indigenous Malays. In addition to Mak Yong many cultural attractions such as the display, poetry as performance art in a creative, innovative, experimental. Zapin song, Dondang Sayang Mambo, Rampak Madani and Lambak dancing. There was also a cultural parade from provinces throughout Indonesia.
The purpose of this Malay Art Festival is to preserve the national culture of Indonesia, especially the Malay culture. And of course as a platform to attract both foreign and domestic tourists. So Malay Art Festival as a tourist attraction which is also sold by travel agents to attract tourists to Batam notably Malaysia, Singapore and other Asean countries.