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Fashion, handicrafts drive 'autopilot' creative economy growth
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Fashion, handicraft and culinary industries have proven to be the most promising creative economy sub-sectors. (Shutterstock/Khairul Effendi)
W
hile Indonesia’s cultural diversity has yet to be translated into a well-established creative sector, the fashion, handicraft and culinary industries have proven to be the most promising sub-sectors, and are now driving “autopilot” growth.
Although the 16 sub-sectors of the creative economy have huge potential, they majority of them have progressed slowly, said Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) head Triawan Munaf, adding that the three aforementioned subsectors represented 50 percent of the sector’s overall growth.
"The growth is rapid, organic. But, we can say that currently it is still in autopilot," he said at the opening of Karya Kreatif Indonesia, a small medium enterprises (SMEs) craft exhibition fostered by Bank Indonesia at Balai Kartini, Jakarta, on Friday.
The exhibition was opened by National Handicraft Council (Dekranas) chairwoman Mufidah Kalla, who is also the wife of Vice President Jusuf Kalla. The event was also attended by Bank Indonesia governor Agus Martowodojo.
Triawan further said the sector was still facing persistent issues such as lack of data and information about the businesses in Indonesia, lack of both digital and physical infrastructure, a lack of marketing, intellectual rights illiteracy, and poor capital access.
To address the challenge, Bekraf has launched several initiatives, particularly in prioritized sub-sectors namely fashion, cuisine and handicrafts.
"We provide them with design and packaging assistance, as well as improve their design quality and facilitate capital access both from banking and non-banking industries, and also capacity building," Triawan added. (ags)
