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Popcon Asia closes with new goal
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PopCon Asia 2016 ran from Friday to Sunday at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, Central Jakarta. (JP/Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak)
The largest pop culture festival in the region closed its doors this year having set up new goals for the coming years.
Popcon Asia founder and organizing committee chairperson Grace Kusnadi said there was a higher than estimated number of visitors and numbers of transactions during the three-day event. "We're still collecting data. However, as of the second day of the festival we had recorded 28,000 visitors," said the CEO of event, Revata Cipta Kreasi, on Sunday evening.
Last year, Popcon attracted 37,000 visitors and recorded more than Rp 25 billion in transactions. There were 225 booths available this year, 150 of them in the artists' alley.
"This year the artists tagged higher prices for their original products and they were amazingly sold out," said Grace.
(Read also: Rock band Koil to launch comic book at Popcon Asia)
If in past events the artists set low prices to jack up sales, the fourth installment of the event saw more confident creators. Illustrator Atreyu Moniaga and accessories designer Ashiong, for example, set prices at Rp 80,000 (US$6) for a necklace and up to Rp 450,000 for silk scarf that were sold out on Saturday.
As the country's creative industry grows, at 7 percent per year according to the Industry Ministry, Grace said Popcon Asia would also grow to become the market for the industry, like the prestigious San Diego Comic Con. The festival organizer collaborated with the Creative Economy Agency, which is tasked to accelerate the industry and facilitate creators in capacity building.
Starting this year, Popcon held a Portfolio Review in which 17 companies took part and each received between five to 20 applicants. "We're thinking of creating Popcon publishing for all homegrown talents in Asia," said Grace. (kes)
