The Cultural Unit is a division under the Cultural Center, which is part of the Office of International Affairs, Cooperation, and Culture at University Trisakti. The Cultural Unit functions as a cultural development service within the campus (internal), serving an educational and social role for students, lecturers, and staff, as well as an external service (public service) for the wider community outside the campus.

Building national culture naturally requires a long-term direction. Culture itself is manifested through educated and well-trained members of the university who support the nation’s cultural values. Therefore, the ultimate goal of cultural development is nation-building — fostering a strong, competitive, and morally upright national character. Through this cultural service, it is expected that creativity and innovation in science, technology, and the arts can be developed by activating both the “left brain” (language) and “right brain” (arts, music, creativity), thereby strengthening the soft skills of the Universitas Trisakti community.

The Cultural Unit does not merely aim to produce aesthetically pleasing (glamorous) artistic works that lack meaning, but rather encourages the creation of artworks that embody symbolic values capable of evoking emotion and reflection. Emotional values are expressions of feeling conveyed through art. These symbolic values, in the artistic process, are generally framed in the term “expression.” The medium for such expression is broad and diverse — encompassing the language of visuals (fine art), design (applied art), and movement and sound (performance art).

In essence, every human being—regardless of academic background, even in the exact sciences—has the ability to express thoughts and feelings through aesthetic and symbolic means, though the degree varies. This difference is influenced by innate factors and life experiences shaped by one’s environment.

Environmental cultivation—in this case, through the Cultural Unit—is key to enhancing artistic appreciation, especially for those without innate artistic talent. Developing expressive abilities has positive impacts on emotional sensitivity, character, and behavior, while also stimulating right-brain activity.

Functions of the Cultural Unit

• To facilitate cultural and artistic cooperation between Universitas Trisakti and various institutions, ministries, organizations, and embassies, such as:

  • Mask and Painting Exhibitions in collaboration with embassies;

  • Film Screenings in collaboration with embassies;

  • Music and Dance Performances in collaboration with embassies.

• To serve as a platform for Summer Camp programs organized by foreign universities that wish to collaborate with Universitas Trisakti.

• To enhance the creativity of university members approaching retirement through art workshops (such as batik-making, recycled crafts, drawing, painting, etc.), which can be beneficial for their post-retirement life.

• To develop campus members’ creativity in various art forms, including:

  • Dance: covering both traditional (regional dances) and modern (national/international contemporary) styles;

  • Music: encompassing regional and international music;

  • Vocal arts: offering training for both solo performances and choir singing.