Jakarta, October 2, 2026 – Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Teuku Riefky Harsya, expressed his appreciation for the plan to hold KICKFEST REDISCOVER XVII on December 11–13, 2026, in Bandung. According to him, this event serves as a space for collaboration to strengthen the national creative economy ecosystem.
Minister of Creative Economy and Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Teuku Riefky Harsya, poses for a photo with the organizing committee of the Kreative Independent Clothing Kommunity Festival (KICKFEST) following an audience meeting at the Ministry of Creative Economy office in Jakarta on Friday, October 2, 2026.
The KICKFEST event is considered aligning with the Ministry of Creative Economy’s efforts to provide spaces and programs that could expand opportunities for regional creative economy actors to grow and reach global markets.
“We consider this event as excellent and something that can be integrated with Ekraf’s flagship programs, because through the ‘Creative by Indonesia’ and ‘Creative Hub Activation’ initiatives, the ministry is committed to strengthening the national creative ecosystem by championing the ambition of 'local hero go national, national go global' to prevent independent entrepreneurs to go under while revitalizing regional creative spaces through training, certification, and various events,” the Minister of Creative Economy expressed during an audience with the Kreative Independent Clothing Kommunity Festival (KICKFEST) team at the Ministry of Creative Economy’s office on Friday (October 2).
This audience was intended to explore partnership opportunities and the Ministry of Creative Economy’s support for the organization of KICKFEST REDISCOVER XVII, which aims to introduce the event’s concept, open up opportunities for collaboration, and expand exposure and engagement for brands and creative economy practitioners from various sectors. Through a blend of fashion, music, community, creativity, and urban culture, KICKFEST, which possesses a broad base of local communities and brands, strives to reach a new generation while engaging local brands, creators, musicians, campuses, and communities. It is expected that this initiative will revitalize independent clothing stores and help local brands scale up.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
This potential is increasingly relevant given that the fashion subsector is one of the main contributors to Indonesia’s creative economy exports. According to BPS (Statistics Indonesia) data processed by the Ministry of Creative Economy, the fashion sector accounts for 58.55% of creative economy exports, worth USD 5.85 billion, up from USD 5.58 billion in the previous period. This subsector also contributed 14.77% to the creative economy’s GDP, with a growth rate of 5.07%.
“Following this, coordinate directly with the relevant deputies regarding potential collaborations. While our local production potential is substantial, it is often hindered by managerial challenges. This event can serve as a bridge for local champions to reach the national stage: guiding their business literacy, strengthening their organizations, and facilitating financing so they are ready to expand. The core objective is clearly to make products more competitive, market-ready, and elevate their status. We want to ensure every brand is managerially ready and ‘bankable’ to attract investors, in order to accelerate the adoption of modern business practices,” Teuku Riefky added.
KICKFEST is a creative economy festival that originated in Bandung in 2007 from the Kreative Independent Clothing Kommunity (KICK) ecosystem. Under the theme “REDISCOVER,” KICKFEST XVII revisits the values and roots that shaped KICKFEST to ensure it remains relevant for current and future generations.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
With a broad base of local communities and brands, KICKFEST serves as a space that brings together fashion, music, community, creativity, and urban culture. Potential collaborations with the Ministry of Creative Economy include fashion showcases, support for fashion brands under the Ministry’s mentorship program through booths and exhibitions, as well as fashion talk shows and masterclasses.
The collaboration also includes the #BanggaFesyenLokal campaign, the development of young fashion talent through competitions and “skill areas,” as well as joint promotion and outreach via social media, digital content, and the Ministry of Creative Economy’s communication channels.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Minister, for this highly inspiring discussion. We are very open to collaboration both now and in the future. Following this, we will immediately coordinate further with the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Creative Economy to solidify the potential for this partnership,” KICKFEST Chair Ade Adriansyah stated.
During the meeting, the Minister of Creative Economy was accompanied by the Deputy for Cultural Creativity and Design, Yuke Sri Rahayu; the Minister’s Special Staff for Strategic and Inter-institutional Issues, Rian Firmansyah; and the Director of Iffah Fashion, Sa’aidah.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of the Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
