Community Management and Resilience of the Malangan Mask Dance: A Case Study of the Setyotomo Studio from an Archipelagic Perspective

Abstract

The Setyotomo Art Studio in Malang Regency is a space for preserving the traditional art of the Malangan Mask Dance, which survives through grassroots community mechanisms. This study aims to analyze the form of community management and identify the existential challenges it faces in the context of social, cultural, and technological change. Data were collected through literature review, field observations, and in-depth interviews with the founder, administrators, and activists of the Malangan Mask Dance. The results indicate that community management at the Setyotomo Art Studio is organic and based on cultural practices, characterized by studio leadership, the process of inheriting tradition through imitation of movements, independent production of masks and performance attributes, and tradition-based innovation. Despite facing challenges such as declining public interest, weak organizational legality, minimal educational support, and limited digital literacy, the studio continues to demonstrate cultural resilience through creative adaptation. These findings confirm that the sustainability of traditional arts is strongly influenced by the strength of grassroots communities as agents of maintaining local cultural identity.