Jakarta, 9 December 2025 — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, expressed appreciation for the staging of Celebrating UK–Indonesia Cultural Collaboration: The UK & Indonesia — Connect Through Dance. The creative and cultural collaboration program between Indonesia and the United Kingdom was held on 8–9 December 2025 at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta.
Wakil Menteri Ekonomi Kreatif, Irene Umar, memberi sambutan pada penyelenggaraan Celebrating UK–Indonesia Cultural Collaboration: The UK & Indonesia — Connect Through Dance di Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, Selasa (9/12/2025).
“The creative relationship between our two countries continues to expand. During our visit to Manchester and London, we saw how Indonesian creative works—from board games to music and performing arts—are gaining recognition and visibility in the UK,” said Deputy Minister Irene Umar on Tuesday, 9 December 2025.
The program featured a screening of Akram Khan’s Giselle, performed by the English National Ballet (ENB), as part of an effort to strengthen performing arts collaboration between the UK and Indonesia. The presentation was paired with Factory Devotion, a dance work by Arif ‘One Legz’ (Indonesia) and Lauren Russel (UK), offering an artistic exploration of inclusivity, diversity, and cultural dialogue.
Deputy Minister Irene emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening creative diplomacy to deepen cultural ties between both nations, while expanding cooperation in the performing arts as part of “the new engine of growth.” She highlighted that Indonesia–UK artistic collaboration continues to unlock new economic opportunities across multiple creative subsectors, including performing arts, music, games, and digital creative products.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
Irene added that cultural exchange programs like Connect Through Dance serve as an essential element of creative diplomacy, helping expand the international network of Indonesian creative talents.
“In Indonesia, we have a saying: ‘tak kenal maka tak sayang’—you can’t love what you don’t know. A space like this allows two cultures to meet, collaborate, and create new economic opportunities together. We thank the British Council for consistently fostering meaningful collaborations and strengthening the creative ecosystem through a hexahelix approach,” she said.
Summer Xia, Country Director of British Council Indonesia and Southeast Asia Lead, stated that bringing Giselle to Jakarta is part of the English National Ballet’s 75th anniversary celebrations and reflects the UK’s commitment to deepening cultural exchange with Indonesia.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
“We want to share this exceptional work with audiences in Indonesia while also creating a space for Indonesian talent to respond to, engage with, and collaborate alongside UK works,” said Summer.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Culture, Giring Ganesha, emphasized the power of the arts to unite communities and strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
“In the arts, we do not seek differences. We learn, collaborate, and build harmony. The performance by Arif One Legz and Lauren Russel today proves that art can transcend boundaries,” Giring stated.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
Through the Connect Through Dance program, the Ministry of Creative Economy strengthens creative diplomacy, expands opportunities for international collaboration, and supports Indonesian artists in entering global networks. This initiative also represents a strategic step to enhance the competitiveness of the performing arts sector while reinforcing Indonesia’s position as a regional hub of creativity.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Bureau of Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
