ibnchannel.id – Minister of Creative Economy Teuku Riefky Harsya expressed his appreciation for Bali’s success in building a strong and comprehensive creative economy ecosystem. He referred to Bali as a tangible example of the success of the Creative Economy Law, which he had initiated while serving on Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI).
“Bali is a success story of the Creative Economy Law. Almost all subsectors thrive here. All 17 designated subsectors — from fashion, culinary arts, performing arts, architecture, design, film, music, to digital content and AI — have developed in Bali,” explained Riefky during a meeting with Bali Governor Wayan Koster at Jayasabha, Denpasar, on Friday (June 13).
In the relaxed meeting, the two discussed the direction of national creative economy development, with Bali serving as the best model for a creative economy based on local culture, human resources, and sustainability principles.
The Establishment of Creative Economy Departments
He also explained that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is currently encouraging the establishment of Creative Economy Departments at the provincial and regency/municipality levels. According to ministry data, 45 percent of regions are ready to establish their own departments, with an additional 20 percent in the preparation stage.
“Until now, the creative economy has only been a subfield under the tourism office or a section head. The output is merely papers. The real output should be entrepreneurs, young innovators, and tangible works. That’s why we want to push for a more concrete establishment of these departments for stronger synergy,” he said.
Additionally, Minister Riefky expressed support for various creative economy initiatives in Bali, including the development of creative economic zones, funding facilitation, strengthening regulations to protect local creations, and organizing national and international digital game tournaments in Bali.
“We don’t want our youth’s creativity to be bought cheaply by foreign investors. We must strengthen local players and protect the vast potential of our young people,” he added.
Governor Koster, in turn, explained that the direction of Bali’s creative economy development policy was formulated with Bali’s real conditions in mind—as a region without mining resources but rich in culture, creativity, and local heritage. He noted that Balinese youth have extraordinary creative potential, as seen in various festivals and community initiatives like PICA Fest, which features creative works such as T-shirt designs and other local products.
“The creative economy in Bali must be built from a local foundation. We don’t have mines, what we have is a living culture. That’s why I support young creative individuals, including in the production of fashion, crafts, and digital products. This is the foundation for the future,” he emphasized.
Bali’s Dependence on Tourism
According to the Governor, Bali’s heavy dependence on tourism—accounting for around 66 percent of its GRDP—was a major lesson during the COVID-19 pandemic. When tourism was disrupted, Bali’s economy was devastated.
Therefore, from his first term, Governor Koster initiated Bali’s Economic Transformation based on six priority sectors: (1) agriculture, (2) fisheries, (3) Bali-branded manufacturing industries, (4) cooperatives and MSMEs, (5) creative and digital economy, and (6) tourism as a bonus, not the backbone.
“With this transformation, the entire economic chain moves. If tourism is affected, Bali’s economy can still stand. This is the big idea we’re building,” he explained.
He added that Bali plans to establish a Creative and Digital Economy Agency to support creative industry players, most of whom are MSMEs and small industries.
He stated that such an agency is more suitable than merely a subfield in a government department, as it can regulate cross-sector policies, bridge funding needs, and facilitate cooperation and market access for creative economy actors.
“We cannot be too capitalistic in the creative economy. If unprotected, the small players (MSMEs) will die. Therefore, there must be pro-people regulations and a strong institution. I believe the creative economy is the future economy that is environmentally friendly and sustainable,” he said.
Creative Economy Secretary: Bali Becomes National Role Model
The Secretary of the Creative Economy Ministry, Dessy Ruhati, also shared her views that Bali is currently the best-performing province in implementing the creative economy. All 17 subsectors are alive and active, even becoming the backbone of Bali’s economy during the pandemic.
“Bali is amazing. While many regions struggled during the pandemic, Bali’s creative economy subsectors became economic saviors. When creative economy merges with digital technology, the impact is extraordinary. Bali is the ideal national example,” said Dessy.
She also emphasized that synergy between the central and regional governments is key to accelerating institutional strengthening, business literacy, and access to markets and investment.
To close the meeting, a ceremonial exchange of souvenirs was held between the Governor of Bali and the Minister of Creative Economy. Governor Wayan Koster presented a piece of Balinese endek cloth, symbolizing the richness of local culture and a tangible result of successfully preserving Bali’s textile heritage, which has now gained global recognition.
The endek cloth presented was produced by local artisans under the guidance of the Regional National Crafts Council (Dekranasda) Bali, which has also successfully promoted endek to be used by various international brands, including renowned fashion houses such as Christian Dior.***
