Bandung, January 11, 2025 – Deputy Minister Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, believes that Bandung has firmly established itself as a creative city. This is evident from the growth of various creative spaces that continue to nurture a thriving creative ecosystem, fostering talents capable of competing on an international stage.
Deptuy Minister of Creative Economy Irene noted that Bandung has consistently spread inspiration and driven sustainable impact for creative economy players.
“I can see the spirit of collaboration thriving in Bandung. From here, we can map out a roadmap to support the development of the creative economy across different regions. We must also appreciate the concept of the Bandung City of Design, which continues to innovate by developing the creative economy from a local scale to regional, national, and ultimately international levels,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene during the Bandung Creative City of Design discussion at Bandung Creative Hub on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
Deptuy Minister of Creative Economy Irene emphasized that the foundation of the creative economy is culture, and Indonesia is rich in cultural development. Bandung, for instance, has established its value, vision, personality, and positioning as a creative city since 2017 and has been recognized by UNESCO for its Design Thinking for Government approach.
She also expressed her appreciation for The Hallway Space and Tab Space, which she visited earlier. Both locations have become multifunctional creative spaces, making creative economy products more accessible to a wider audience.
“In Bandung, we can explore local culinary delights, fashion products, and hidden gems within well-conceptualized creative spaces. Several creative economy pioneers from Bandung have already reached international markets. It’s just a matter of sharpening the mindset and perseverance. Collaboration with content creators can also amplify local products, making them more recognizable and desirable. This aligns with the Ministry of Creative Economy initiative to establish associations for content creators,” said Deptuy Minister of Creative Economy Irene.
Moreover, Bandung’s potential as a creative city is reflected in its creative economy ecosystem, which serves as a laboratory for expression. Numerous universities in the city host regular public events and creative spaces, enabling professional associations to track the contribution of the creative economy to the regional economy. Last year, the Anugerah Kreator Bandung (Bandung Creator Awards) recognized creative economy players for their contributions.
Deptuy Minister of Creative Economy Irene was accompanied by Yuke Sri Rahayu, Deputy for Cultural and Design Creativity. Also present at the discussion were Arief Syaifudin, Head of Bandung’s Culture and Tourism Department; Dwinita Larasati, Chairperson of the Bandung Dossier Management for UNESCO; and Adi Panuntun, Chair of the Bandung Creative City Forum.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
