Jakarta, 11 December 2025 — Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, officially opened the Creative Cities Connect 2025 forum at Thamrin Nine Ballroom, Jakarta, on Thursday, 11 December 2025. The forum brought together stakeholders from 41 Indonesian Creative Regencies/Cities and seven member cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to enhance collaboration and strengthen local creative economy ecosystems.
Menteri Ekonomi Kreatif, Teuku Riefky Harsya, membuka secara resmi forum Creative Cities Connect 2025 di Thamrin Nine Ballroom, Jakarta, Kamis (11/12/2025).
“Let us make Creative Cities Connect 2025 a space for regions to connect, learn, and grow together,” said the Minister in his opening remarks.
The Minister emphasized that Creative Cities Connect 2025 serves as a pivotal moment to strengthen regional creative ecosystems through collaboration and shared commitment. Driven by innovation, technology, and local wisdom, the creative economy is emerging as a new engine of growth. Strengthening Creative Regencies/Cities through the Self-Assessment for Indonesian Creative Regencies/Cities (PMK3I) is crucial to advancing the President’s Asta Cita agenda, particularly in generating quality jobs and increasing the added value of regional products.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekraf/ Badan Ekraf
Since the program’s inception in 2016, a total of 86 regions have conducted PMK3I assessments, with 41 of them officially designated as Indonesia’s Creative Regencies/Cities (KaTa Kreatif). Regions that complete both phases of the program are also eligible to apply for membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
“Creativity is the foundation of regional development and a pathway to community prosperity,” the Minister reiterated.
In his report, Deputy for Strategic Creative Economy Development, Cecep Rukendi, explained that the forum is a follow-up to the Minister’s directive to convene a national meeting for all regions that have mapped their creative subsectors through PMK3I. The event also serves as a platform for shared learning from designated Creative Regencies/Cities and from the seven Indonesian cities currently part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekraf/ Badan Ekraf
Following the opening ceremony, the Minister toured exhibition booths representing creative cities and regencies, including Ambon, Bandung, Pekalongan, Surakarta, Jakarta, Ponorogo, and Malang. The Minister interacted with creative actors, engaged with local communities, observed product showcases, and viewed a live artistic performance. The visit highlighted the importance of strengthening networks and interregional collaboration within Indonesia’s creative landscape.
The Minister also noted that strengthening Creative Regencies/Cities aligns with Asta Ekraf—the Ministry’s eight strategic clusters—covering national creative economy data, the development of the Ekraf Hub mapping platform, regional policy harmonization, talent capacity building, creative infrastructure enhancement, and intellectual property certification and commercialization support. The forum also spotlighted the role of Indonesia’s seven UCCN member cities as models of replicable best practices nationwide.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekraf/ Badan Ekraf
Creative Cities Connect 2025 featured workshops for regional creative actors and artistic performances. Representatives from various regions presented innovations, flagship products, and creative development initiatives from their respective localities. The event is expected to further strengthen the KaTa Kreatif network, deepen hexahelix collaborations, and produce strategic policy recommendations that support an inclusive, competitive, and sustainable creative ecosystem.
The Minister was accompanied by Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology Muhammad Neil El Himam; Special Advisor for Research, Education, and Institutional Relations Dian Permana Sari; Special Advisor for Marketing Systems and Infrastructure Septriana Tangkary; Ministerial Expert for Media Rocklin Anderson; and Acting Head of Communications Bureau Kiagoos Irvan Faisal.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekraf/ Badan Ekraf
The event was also attended by Director of Cultural Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture’s Directorate General of Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cultural Cooperation Mardisontori; Chair of the 2025 National Selection Committee for UNESCO Creative Cities Network / Director of the Doctoral Program in Architecture at UGM, Wiendu Nuryanti; Secretary-General of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO Ananto Kusuma; Ministry of Foreign Affairs Senior Diplomat Agustaviano Sofjan; BAPPENAS Planner Triana Aprita; focal points from seven UCCN member cities; mayors and regents including the Mayor of Salatiga Robby Hernawan, the Regent of Pati Sudewo, the Regent of South Konawe Irham Kalenggo, the Regent of Buleleng I Nyoman Sutjidra, the Deputy Mayor of Makassar Aliyah Mustika Ilham, the Deputy Mayor of Banjarmasin Ananda, the Deputy Mayor of Malang Ali Muthohirin, along with regional secretaries, agency heads, representatives of creative regencies/cities, academics, communities, media, and creative industry players.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
