Debuting with the exhibit by Mulyakarya, the rebranded ARTOTEL Earth invites communities to participate in the ecology movement and environmental preservation. Photo courtesy of ARTOTEL Group/NOW!JAKARTA

Progressive Indonesian hospitality brand, ARTOTEL has rebranded its social responsibility programme with the introduction of ARTOTEL Earth. Started in 2016 under the name ARTOTEL for Hope, the new programme is carried out in different ways by conducting the environmental campaign and raising social awareness through a series of art activities.

Known for championing the local creative industry, ARTOTEL has collaborated with a number of Indonesian artists to promote environmental sustainability through the art exhibition and workshop, generating the channel of visual communication to raise public awareness as well as involving the community to practice sustainability. This year’s programme includes fundraising for appointed social organisation and communities.

Since it was first established three years ago, the hotel debuted the ARTOTEL for Hope by raising awareness about dyslexia, featuring young artist, Aqil Prabowo. In 2017, ARTOTEL addressed the issue of mental health by inviting communities to use art as a healing therapy. Last year, ARTOTEL Indonesia collaborated with The Nature Conservancy Indonesia to help the rehabilitation initiative in Kalimantan, Borneo Island. The team at ARTOTEL invited two Indonesian artists to have first-hand experience visiting the conservation area and expressed their feeling through art to raise awareness about deforestation and forest preservation.

Zine and Poster by Mulyakarya.

Since then, the hospitality company puts more focus on the ecology movement as a response to climate change and environmental degradation. In 2019, ARTOTEL Earth is the rebranded social responsibility expected to deliver a significant contribution to a specific field.

Through a collaboration with WWF Indonesia Foundation, ARTOTEL has committed to be the official partner of The Signing Blue Programme as an initiative to encourage tourism industry players to carry out responsible business practices that protect marine life and the wealth of maritime economy. Positioning itself towards the eco-friendly property, ARTOTEL has been showing its commitment by reducing plastic use at its properties across the region, regulating waste and contributing to marine sustainability.

“Through this commitment, all ARTOTEL Group properties will implement Eco-Friendly operational systems gradually in cooperation with WWF-Indonesia. Through ARTOTEL Earth, we are also open to collaborating with other local institutions that share the same vision and mission for environment,” says Erastus Radjimin, CEO of ARTOTEL Group.

ARTOTEL Earth was debuted with a collective exhibition by Mulyakarya, a collective artist from Yogyakarta that displays comic works and paintings that depict provocative yet awakening message about the artists Catur and Yudha Sandy’s experience visiting Indonesia’s famous destinations and its excessive single plastic use problem caused by over-tourism. Running until 31 January 2020, the exhibition from Mulyakarya is also available for purchase where a percentage of the profit will be donated to WWF Indonesia.

Recycled Groceries Bag from TRI Upcycle.

Another partnership with TRI Upcycle, a social enterprise that manufactures recycled goods to reduce environmental waste, ARTOTEL Earth has collected used linens from all properties to be transformed into a grocery bag that can be purchased by guests. All proceeds from the grocery bag sale will be donated to WWF-Indonesia and TRI Upcycle, and it will be allocated for tree planting programme in Central Kalimantan.  

During December, ARTOTEL will set aside IDR 10,000 from every room sold to donate to WWF Indonesia, which will be used for maritime life preservation and plastic waste management program in Indonesia. In return, the guests will receive a comic zine by Mulyakarya that tells a story about the lack of a waste management system in Labuan Bajo. Non-staying guests are also able to purchase the comic, available ARTOTEL properties across the country with a price at IDR 10,000. The selling of the comic will also be donated to WWF Indonesia.

www.artotelgroup.com/artotelearth

Rintang Azhar

Rintang Azhar

Rintang is a previous staff writer for NOW! with experience in hard news and lifestyle journalism. He specialises in art, design, culture, fashion, environmental, and urban issues.