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re you aware of the transformative potential that arts and culture can have in supporting progress toward a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous society? Few of us realize it, but by providing spaces for dialogue, or non-violent means of expression, arts and culture have an important role to play.

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world spread across some 17,000 islands and home to more than 300 ethnic groups and 700 local languages. This makes for a rich cultural heritage, and the principle of unity in diversity is indeed also part of the country’s Constitution.

But maintaining unity in diversity is an ongoing project: Tapping into Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage holds great potential for building bridges and reconciling different communities that may otherwise be divided by ethnicity, religion, politics or other factors.

Concrete examples of using non-violent means of dialogue include the staging of puppet plays in Ampenan, Lombok, to cultivate the message that diversity can and should be a force for good. In Bali, art has been used to prevent conflict stemming from the effects of modern tourism on some ancient cultural practices.

Recognizing the important role played by arts and culture in peace and reconciliation efforts, Denmark in collaboration with Indonesian partners decided to launch a culture program in Indonesia last year. Denmark and its partner organization Kelola Foundation marked the handout of the first round of peacemaking art grants (Hibah Cipta Perdamaian) to 10 young Indonesian artists on 20 June in our presence.

The Danish Culture Program in Indonesia was formally launched by the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kristian Jensen, in the presence of HM the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, during their state visit to Indonesia last year when Indonesia and Denmark decided to boost bilateral cooperation on culture.

Based on the recognition of arts and culture as a powerful force for positive social change, we work with the Indonesian partner organizations Search for Common Ground, Jakarta Biennale, Kelola Foundation and Indonesia Art Coalition work in various ways to further freedom of expression for artists and cultural actors, strengthening peace and reconciliation efforts and supporting Indonesia’s creative economy.

Arts and culture are integral to the development of Indonesia’s creative economy estimated to have constituted 7.5 percent of GDP in 2014 whilst employing some 11.8 million or some 10 percent of the total number of salaried people.

Although a vast archipelago encompassing rich cultural diversity, Indonesia’s developed arts scene remains highly focused on Java. There is significant demand for capacity-building and empowerment of artists and cultural actors outside the cultural heartland of Java.

Important steps to expand the arts scene and the creative economy to other parts of the country have been taken by the Indonesia Art Coalition, which seeks to establish and nurture the growth of independent cultural and artistic hotspots in Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara.

The purpose is to provide a platform for dialogue, networks and an exchange of knowledge between artists and cultural actors and the general public. It is expected that such hotspots will become a base for knowledge production and dissemination of arts and culture to the surrounding areas, which can solidify the creative economy and contribute to positive social change.

An important transfer of knowledge from the flourishing arts scene in Java to more outlying regions has also begun. One example of this is the curatorial lab and residency programs delivered by the Jakarta Biennale Foundation. The decentralized choice of curators in the last Jakarta Biennale brought together diverse perspectives on arts and curating, with more than 7,000 art enthusiasts coming to Indonesia’s largest contemporary art exhibition on the opening night alone.

Realizing the potential of the creative economy also means tapping into its international dimension by strengthening Indonesian artists’ access to markets, internationally as well as locally. One example in point is the ongoing IMAGES 16 Exhibition in Denmark where many prominent museums and galleries throughout the country feature music, art, literature and films from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Empowering artists and cultural actors from outside of Java’s cultural heartland as forces of positive social change is an important step in diversifying and democratizing the Indonesian arts scene.

When doing so and including artists in public debates, it is possible to shine a fresh spotlight on issues that may be harder to address through more conventional means of communication. As such, arts and culture play a key role in contributing to maintain diversity, increasing tolerance and paving the way for dialogue instead of conflict, all of which are integral to achieving continued peaceful development in Indonesia and beyond.
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Hilmar Farid is director general for culture at Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture and Casper Klynge is Denmark’s ambassador to Indonesia.