Jakarta, 17 November 2025 — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency Irene Umar and Governor of North Maluku Sherly Tjoanda discussed comprehensive strategies to strengthen the regional creative economy ecosystem, covering music, spice-based culinary, content creation, digital IP development, and gaming talent. The meeting at Autograph Tower Jakarta focused on talent exposure, database enhancement, and commercialization of North Maluku’s creative works in both national and global markets.
Wakil Menteri Ekonomi Kreatif, Irene Umar, menerima audiensi dari Gubernur Maluku Utara, Sherly Tjoanda, di Kantor Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif, Jakarta, Senin (17/11/2025).
The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy emphasized that exposure is the main key to uplifting creative talent, particularly music from Eastern Indonesia, which is currently gaining recognition.
“Imagine arriving at an airport and immediately feeling the vibe of North Maluku. This requires strong content creators and digital campaigns. We can leverage platforms like TikTok, collaborate with Spotify to promote Eastern Indonesian music, and create stages in public spaces such as Dukuh Atas or Blok M,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy during the audience with the Governor of North Maluku on Monday, 17 November 2025.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
This meeting followed up on discussions between the Governor and Minister of Creative Economy/Head of Creative Economy Agency Teuku Riefky Harsya on 9 May 2025, which highlighted the significant potential of North Maluku’s creative economy. In the follow-up audience, the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy also stressed the importance of a curated database of creative talent and products to directly connect them with industry opportunities.
“Malls, events, and brands often struggle to find hidden gems. With a complete database of talents, products, and rate cards, we can directly link them to the market. The Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency has the Ekraf Hunt platform ready to accommodate this curation,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy.
Furthermore, the Deputy Minister emphasized that talent must be prepared commercially and legally to ensure sustainable growth.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
“We want to ensure that when someone goes viral, they not only rise quickly but can also sustain their success. Talents must be legally, financially, and commercially ready,” she explained.
Opportunities for expanding digital collaboration were also discussed, including partnerships with global gaming ecosystems and involvement of North Maluku talent in the gaming industry.
During the audience, the Governor of North Maluku shared updates on regional creative initiatives, including the implementation of the Eastern Music Competition, which shifted from mostly cover songs to exclusively original works. Participants submit their songs via social media with support for intellectual property registration, and over 100 original songs have been collected to date.
The Governor also outlined plans to develop other creative sectors, such as content creation, exportable creative products, and gaming talent, noting the increasing industry potential. The Eastern Indonesian Music Festival will be launched in Jakarta next year and will become an annual event in North Maluku.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
In the culinary and spice subsector, North Maluku highlights Ternate as the “City of Spices.” Key commodities such as candlenuts and its derivatives, spiced coffee, nutmeg, cloves, and traditional dishes like clove afo are being promoted internationally through collaborations with fine dining establishments. Rich local folklore is also being explored as potential IP for games, animation, and digital content. The regional government is currently curating top talents and products—including culinary, content creators, music, IP products, and experience-based destinations like sugarcane and spice processing—to align with the Ministry of Creative Economy.
Through this audience, the Ministry of Creative Economy and the Provincial Government of North Maluku agreed on joint measures to strengthen an integrated creative economy ecosystem from upstream to downstream, covering data curation, mentorship, legal and commercial support, digital collaboration, and national stage opportunities. The government affirmed its commitment to supporting North Maluku as a new engine of growth starting from the region.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
