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Indonesia needs to institutionalize funding support for creativity
Each creative project is unique, with some requiring only short-term or even one-off funding, while others require more committed and consistent streams of funding.
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Get the picture: A visitor looks at a painting titled Behind the Scene by Yusuf Dwiyono at Balai Budaya cultural center in Central Jakarta on March 8, 2022. A total of 37 painters took part in the exhibition, which closes March 15. (Antara/Dodo Karundeng)
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t has long been acknowledged that the creative economy drives economic growth, and so is something to encourage. However, support for creativity, notably financial support, is not widely available or accessible in Indonesia.
To boost the beneficial economic effects of creative activity, budgetary support for creativity should be institutionalized. The United Kingdom’s approach can serve as a model for Indonesia on how to best institutionalize financial support for creativity.
The Arts Council England is a national development organization devoted to the advancement of the arts and culture. Its purpose of making the arts more accessible to the public is specifically mentioned in the Arts Council's founding document, the Royal Charter. The Arts Council operates at “arm’s length” from ministerial departments, as an executive non-departmental public body.
By distancing the Council from the reach of ministerial departments, a degree of independence is attained. This is a prerequisite for making investment decisions to support creative expression throughout the country and to insulate it from political interference.
Moving away from ministerial oversight also makes it easier for the organization to gain specialized expertise on the national perspective and be able to provide large-scale strategic investments to support the development of creativity.
Much of the Arts Council’s significance and legitimacy stems from decisions on arts funding being made by officially appointed and regulated experts, rather than by politicians.
This can also lead to greater organizational innovation and agility in pursuing its public service missions, ensuring the creativity of each citizen is valued and all are given the opportunity to flourish. With funding support institutionalized, it is more likely for the government to stick to its commitment to providing financial support for a variety of creative projects around the country, rather than subject to political whim and short-term priorities.
