The Dynamics of the Judging System in the National Reyog Ponorogo Festival: The Dilemma of Interests and Its Impact on the Creativity of Artists

Abstract

This study investigates the internal dynamics of the judging process at one of Indonesia’s premier cultural events, the National Reyog Ponorogo Festival. The National Reyog Ponorogo Festival is one of Indonesia’s premier cultural events, designed to preserve and showcase the traditional art of Reyog. While the festival serves as a vital space for cultural expression and community engagement, its judging system has raised ongoing concerns regarding fairness, objectivity, and the influence of non-artistic interests. This study investigates the internal dynamics of the judging process and explores how it affects the creativity and strategic choices of participating artists. Utilizing a qualitative ethnographic approach, data were collected through participant observation, document analysis, and in-depth interviews with five experienced jurors from various cultural and academic backgrounds. These insights were interpreted using theoretical frameworks from Pierre Bourdieu (field theory), Richard Schechner (performance theory), and John Rawls (justice as fairness). The findings reveal that despite standardized scoring rubrics, judges interpret criteria through subjective lenses shaped by habitus, cultural capital, and institutional alignment. Artistic conformity often results from perceived jury expectations, limiting risk-taking and innovation among performers. The festival’s aesthetic economy tends to privilege groups with more access to resources and historical visibility, raising equity concerns.The study concludes by recommending structural improvements to the adjudication system, including greater transparency, juror rotation, and post-festival feedback mechanisms. These reforms aim to balance tradition and innovation, and promote a judging culture that is pedagogical, inclusive, and conducive to artistic growth.