Jakarta, January 23, 2025 – Jakarta’s Kota Tua is one of the city's premier destinations. Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, emphasized the need for creative economy players to champion the area, elevating it to a global scale while attracting investment.
"We must believe that creative economy warriors have the resilience to advance Kota Tua Jakarta as a strategic investment. Kota Tua has long been seen as an incredibly appealing destination, inspiring young people to keep creating. With its deep-rooted traditions, this historic area already has landmarks that need to be activated," said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene during her visit to Kota Tua Jakarta on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene also commended Kota Tua Jakarta for being a flagship destination leading up to Jakarta’s 500th Anniversary. The area plays a crucial role as the starting point of Jakarta’s civilization and holds great potential in developing a creative economy corridor.
According to Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene, several activation concepts could be implemented in Kota Tua, such as Kali Besar canal activations, fountain attractions, immersive building mapping, drone shows, pop-up markets, mini concerts, art installations, Batavia exploration board games, museum activations, and photography spots. She highlighted that revitalizing Kota Tua Jakarta should serve as a means to honor history while preserving its iconic architecture as an attractive asset.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene was not alone on her visit. Also present were Yovie Widianto, Special Staff to the President for Creative Economy Affairs, and Teguh Setyabudi, Acting Governor of Jakarta.
"The beautiful spaces in Kota Tua Jakarta can become centers of economy, history, and culture, fostering the growth of creative spaces. There are many art installations that we can further discuss with Jakarta’s future governor. This is just the beginning, and further discussions will take place to enhance the appeal of these public spaces," said Yovie Widianto.
Several key locations within Kota Tua were also visited, including Jembatan Kota Intan, the MSME Development Area, and the Jakarta History Museum. The strong enthusiasm of students and the local community reflected the spirit of the People of Batavia, enhancing the area’s immersive cultural experience.
"We just completed a tour through several key points in Kota Tua. This place serves as the historical heart of the city, which we can redesign together. Managing Kota Tua Jakarta requires more than just provincial-level efforts; there must be synergy between ministries to strengthen narratives and identify activation and collaboration concepts," added Acting Governor Teguh Setyabudi.
During the visit, Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene was accompanied by several the Ministry of Creative Economy officials, including Cecep Rukendi, Deputy for Strategic Creative Economy Development; Yuke Sri Rahayu, Deputy for Cultural Creativity and Design; Yuan Rochma Astuti, Director for Digital Content; Fahmy Akmal, Director for Infrastructure Facilitation; and Dadam Mahdar, Acting Director for Visual and Performing Arts.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
