Throughout 2014, arts and culture, along with science and innovation, is the focus for the Embassy in Jakarta to celebrate the rich diversity reflected by arts in the community.

Starting in March and running through to November 2014, the Embassy's Arts and Cultural Program 2014 will showcase contemporary Australian music, visual arts, literature, sport, science and innovation and dance across Indonesia.

So far, the program has included a three-day visit to Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara Province by B2M, a rhythm and blues band from the Tiwi Islands, as well a contemporary Indigenous art exhibition, Message Stick, which has travelled to Denpasar, Bandung and Jakarta.

"Many people are familiar with Aboriginal art from the great movement of the Western and Central deserts," said Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty. "Message Stick is more about life and art in the urban Aboriginal context."

Two young writers from Indonesia and Australia have taken part in a literature exchange involving the Bali Emerging Writers Festival and the Emerging Writers Festival in Melbourne.

The Embassy has also, in partnership with Skateboarding Australia, hosted Skate Jam, an innovative learn to skate program which travelled to Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya and Denpasar, giving hundreds of students the chance to try skate boarding.

Seven leading researchers from Australia took part in the Australia Indonesia Innovative Research Seminar Series. The series – on a broad range of scientific and technological themes carefully chosen to interest the Indonesian audience - travelled to Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Bogor, Malang and Makassar over 10 days in May. It connected universities, students, researchers and academics. A second series is planned for September.

In June, Yogyakarta played host to the Footscray Community Arts Centre's (FCAC) FCAC-hearts-Jogya project. The project involved a month-long arts residency, collaborations between Australian and Indonesian artists, and a visual art exhibition, Meleponi Pasifika.

"This wonderful program is already having a positive impact in the community, and the Embassy looks forward to more success stories throughout the year," said Ambassador Greg Moriarty.

The Arts and Culture Program 2014 is being run under the auspices of the Australia International Cultural Council as part of its Indonesia focus year activities.

The program is generously supported by ANZ, the Australia Indonesia Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Curtin University, Deakin University, Ernst and Young, Flinders University, Macquarie University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland and the University of Tasmania