Tanah Datar, 23 November 2025 – Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency Teuku Riefky Harsya conducted a working visit to Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra, to accelerate the development of creative spaces and the local performing arts ecosystem. The visit is part of the ongoing guidance under the Creative City/Regency (KaTa Kreatif) program since its designation in 2021.
Menteri Ekonomi Kreatif, Teuku Riefky Harsya, memberi sambutan pada workshop KaTa Kreatif bertema Pengembangan Ruang Kreatif Subsektor Seni Pertunjukan, Tanah Datar, Minggu (23/11/2025).
“My presence here aims to strengthen the commitment of the Tanah Datar local government in developing the creative economy. Tanah Datar has been designated as a Creative Regency since 2021, and we continue to provide guidance so that its cultural wealth not only becomes art but also generates economic value,” said the Minister of Creative Economy in his speech at the KaTa Kreatif workshop on Developing Creative Spaces for the Performing Arts subsector, organized by the Directorate of Infrastructure Facilitation, Deputy for Strategic Development of the Creative Economy, Sunday, 23 November 2025.
The workshop, held at the Tanah Datar Dekranasda Office, was attended by 50 creative actors from the performing arts subsector. It featured two experienced speakers: Ageng Bagus Armada, manager of Malang Creative Center (MCC), a driving force for the creative economy in Malang, and Denta Manda Pradipta, Deputy Chair of Ayodya Pala Art Center, a leading art studio that has taken 45 Indonesian dance performances to international stages.
The Minister explained that the presence of these speakers is expected to open strong collaboration opportunities between Tanah Datar and national creative hubs.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
“Today, the Ministry brings outstanding figures from Ayodya Pala, the largest traditional and modern dance studio in Indonesia, to collaborate with Tanah Datar in performing arts, especially dance, so that Tanah Datar’s classes can reach national and global standards. I also brought the MCC management, which has successfully organized up to 30,000 creative events, proving that MCC can drive the creative economy from Malang Regency across East Java,” the Minister said.
As a form of support from the local government to strengthen the arts and culture ecosystem, the Regent of Tanah Datar presented the “One Nagari, One Dance” program, which mandates each nagari to have at least one traditional dance performance. The program has produced various local dances, including Tari Merendang Belut, now a cultural identity of one nagari. In addition to dance, Tanah Datar also focuses on developing other creative subsectors such as MSMEs, music, film, and short videos as new pillars of the local economy.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
The KaTa Kreatif workshop is also part of the Ekraf Festival 2025 organized with the Tanah Datar local government. The festival features exhibition stands from local creative actors showcasing fashion, culinary, craft, design, and photography products at Lapangan Cindua Mato, Tanah Datar.
In addition to exhibitions, the Ekraf Festival includes a talkshow with Rekam Film, a production house that produced the cultural film Menuju Pelaminan, highlighting how regional culture can be represented through visual media with broad market appeal.
One festival highlight was a screening of Menuju Pelaminan, a collaboration between Produksi Film Negara (PFN) and young filmmakers. Selected from over 100 proposals, the film successfully portrays the cultural fusion of Javanese and Minang traditions within a romantic comedy framework. Producer Rita M. Darwis explained that utilizing local talent strengthens character authenticity and demonstrates Tanah Datar’s creative potential on a national scale.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
Director of Infrastructure Facilitation Fahmy Akmal emphasized that Tanah Datar holds a strategic position in performing arts development. He noted that this sector has strong potential because performing arts have long been part of the community’s daily life.
“We want Tanah Datar to manage creative spaces that support the growth of performing arts. The potential has existed for a long time and is ingrained in daily life. The local government is committed to providing creative spaces to ensure that performing arts develop according to expectations,” Fahmy said.
During the visit, the Minister also experienced Minang cultural richness firsthand, from a traditional dance welcome, local culinary traditions through Makan Bajamba at Pagaruyung Palace, to wearing the Deta, a traditional Tanah Datar headband.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Ekonomi Kreatif.
This working visit reaffirms the Ministry of Creative Economy’s commitment to fostering the creative ecosystem across Indonesia. Through guidance, facilitation of creative spaces, industry collaboration, and strengthening cultural identity, Tanah Datar is expected to become a nationally and globally competitive center for performing arts.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
