Tag Archives: connecticity

Catching Up

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My previous post is dated August 2024. It is now April 2025 and lots of momentous things have been happening! Here’s the rest of 2024.

On 22-23 August 2024 another round of Connecti:City, an annual International Conference on Creative Economy, took place at Gedung Sate, organized by the West Java Creative Economy and Innovation Committee (KREASI), hosted by the West Java Province. Connecti:City was first held in 2019 as a means to convene on creative hubs, creative economy, and creative city. This event commonly comprises a conference, an exhibition, a launching of the latest PROSPEK (a report on Creative Economy development and opportunities in West Java) that contains the much-awaited West Java Creative Cities Index; lately Connecti:City also held Creative City Dialogue that invited the focal points of UNESCO Creative Cities in SouthEast Asia. In 2024, the theme was “Creative Diplomacy: The Role of Creatives in Driving Impactful Regional Development”, and the sessions were divided into People, Place, Policy. Policy Recommendations as the result of Connecti:City 2024 can be accessed here (downloadable for free). 

 

On 27 August 2024, I shared about “Future Workforce in The Creative Economy: Creative Community Network Roles & Impacts” in a Panel Discussion on “Leaving no one behind: Preparing a skilled workforce in the creative economy”, as a part of a Workshop on Promoting Social Inclusion in the Creative Economy Sector to Accelerate SDGs Achievement in Indonesia, held by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf). Here I got the chance to meet Putri Ariani, who is globally recognized for her participation in AGT 2023. On stage, she delivered her messages on equality, on being consistent in what we choose, and on spreading positivity in every step we take.

On 7 September 2024, I went to Malacca, Malaysia, for a talk and a workshop titled “Placemaking & Identity: City Branding & Placemaking for Community Resilience” as a series of event called “Vibrant Melaka: Creating A People-Centric Living Space“. Happy to hook up again with Jia-Ping and roam about in a city full of heritage and stories! My stay was too short, so I could only get a glimpse of the city, which got me wanting to explore more. The open night market, renewed river bank, revamped old houses and shops, public parks, museums; all adaptive reuse of existing heritage, powered by design, supporting policy, substantial resources, and leaders’ commitment.  Another good practice for our typical SEA cities.

I don’t recall ever having posted about this here: I (assisted by Amira and Qonita) wrote an essay for an IFACCA Report on Culture as a Public Good: Navigating its role in policy debates, that was launched in July 2024. On 23 September 2024, IFACCA hosted an online discussion on that publication. I’ll make a separate post about this.

The next adventure should also be posted separately! The Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC) made a study trip to Central Asia: Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) – where we participated in the 3rd edition of the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE), 2-4 October 2024. As a member of WCCE International Steering Committee, I was right away occupied with WCCE matters and ‘duties’. But before arriving in Tashkent, I was fully immersed in an amazing experience, witnessing how the creatives in Central Asia, aptly represented by Daniar (a fellow GCEC member) and his Ololo communities & networks in Kyrgyzstan, struggle and thrive. I wish, one day, our creative practitioners could visit Bishkek and Almaty to experience and learn firsthand how they establish their hubs and conduct their businesses.

After the Central Asia trip, there were momentous events, too, such as the National Coordination Meeting of ICCN in Jakarta, 8-9 October 2024; the National Congress of ADPII in Jakarta, 10-12 October 2024; Bandung Creative Week talk show on Bandung Creative Economy Roadmap at The Hallway Space, 14 October 2024. Then come another big trip: UNESCO Cities of Design Subnetwork Meeting at Asahikawa, followed by an extra trip to Kobe and Nagoya, 20-30 October 2024. Which obviously deserves its own post, too.

 

On 4 November 2024, a sudden call brought me to Bali, to speak about “Indonesia Creative Economy Development Strategy” in a Creative Economy Workshop with Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), held by OACPS and the Indonesia Ministry of Industries. Some materials were prepared by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, since I was filling in for them, so I only added several slides from my viewpoints as a non-ministry personnel, but as an academia and community member. I was excited, noticing that OACPS members were keen to explore the CE sector and pursue its development within their own contexts.

A busy end of the year. On 8 November 2024 I spoke in the Urban Future Leaders Summit on “Livable Cities: Ways to enhance urban living conditions through intelligent infrastructure, inclusive design, and community-centric approaches” at ITB. On 10 November 2024 I went to Malang, attending their annual FM:IX event and talking about “Active Citizens with Powerful Impact make a Creative City: What It Takes for Bandung to Become A Creative City of Design”. On 15 November 2024 there was an online technical training on CE Development for Sukabumi Regency Government, where I delivered the subjects, “Perkembangan Ekonomi Kreatif Global” & “Perkembangan Ekonomi Kreatif Nasional”.

It was such an honor for me to participate in the CREATIVE APEC 1st International Meeting of Creative Economy on 19 November 2024, where I had an opportunity to share online about “Indonesia Creative Economy Development Strategy: Experiences in promoting the development of the Creative Economy in the APEC Economies”. I prepared a video presentation beforehand, to avoid any tech glitch, which was a great idea since there was also a challenge for me to join the event in real time (our time zones are 24 hours apart). We got connected when I talked in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, with the theme “Technologies, maker movement and tourism Entrepreneurship in Creative Tourism: Innovation and Technologies in Tourism” in Peru, early June 2024.

On 23 November 2024 there was another National Coordination Meeting of ADPII that was held at Dedato, South Tangerang; on 24 November 2024 I attended the launch of Porter Pamphlet vol.2 at Mbloc Jakarta, which was quite exciting because my graphic diary is a part of that zine, along with other works by distinguished Indonesian authors/ poets/ artists! On  1 December 2024 I appeared in a talkshow on “People and Place: Enhancing Space Quality for Creative Communities” of Festival Gaung Bandung with the theme, “Where Creativity Meets Community”, held by GUNADHARMA, the association of architecture students of ITB; on 6-7 December 2024 I went to Malang again to attend two congresses: ALMI and Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia, where I got a chance to participate in ALMI Knowledge Sharing session on “Culture, Art, Science”. On 12 December 2024, I spoke about “Good Practice in Climate Action in Bandung City of Design UCCN” in an event called “Heritage, Creative Crafts and Lifelong Learning Communities” hosted by Sukhothai in Thailand, a city with three UNESCO titles: UNESCO World Heritage Sites, UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. Again, it was such an amazing experience; lots to learn on how living culture and traditions can provide added values, if managed properly. On 13-14 December 2024, ICCN gathered in South Tangerang for the annual ICCF. In this occasion, ICCN launched a book “Retrospektif Kota Kreatif” and a manifesto for “Culture-Based Creative Economy Sector Development for Sustainable Development”.

 

There’s a first time for everything. In my case, it’s doing a podcast. On 20 December 2024, I was asked by our (then) Dean of the Faculty of Art & Design, Dr. Rikrik Kusmara, to have a recorded conversation with our elected rector, Prof. Tatacipta Dirgantara. It turned out to be fine; I’ve worked with him and his faculty (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), so the talk went smoothly. It even seemed that we needed more time to further explore his stances, ideas, and concrete plans for our campus!

Well, these pretty much summed up the rest of 2024. Will have to update faster for 2025!

Re-imagining The City is A Team Sport

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Connecti:City, an international conference on creative economy organised by KREASI Jawa Barat (West Java Creative Economy and Innovation Committee) and hosted by West Java Province, was first held in 2019. This conference was created to provide a platform for discussions, exchanges and showcases about creative hubs, creative cities and creative economy, not only for cities and regencies in West Java, but also throughout Indonesia and the world. 

Connecti:City took a pause in 2020 due to the pandemic, and resumed in 2021 in a hybrid form: online and onsite at the newly-built Cirebon Creative Hub. As intended, the conference contained updates and news from creative hubs, especially from the new creative centres that are being built in West Java cities/regencies. 

Opportunities for West Java, presented by The Secretary of West Java Province, Dr. Ir. Setiawan Wangsaatmaja, Dipl., S.E., M.Eng.

Digital Creative Economy Ecosystem, presented by the Deputy of Digital Economy and Creative Product, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, M. Neil El Himam, M.Sc.

The momentum of Indonesia G20 Presidency in 2022 with the theme “Recover Together, Recover Stronger” provides an opportunity for Connecti:City to amplify its messages about post-pandemic resilience of cities that implement the creative economy sector in its development strategies, next to the aspects of inclusivity and sustainability. To cut the story short, our plans for Connecti:City 2022 escalated so fast when West Java was appointed to co-chair U20. The main Connecti:City event, scheduled for 14-15 March 2022, has suddenly become a side event for U20 that focuses on creative economy and creative city. All things considered, we held a Connecti:City Preparatory Meeting/Workshop prior to the conference, on 22 February 2022, online and onsite at the newly-launched Purwakarta Creative Center. And here’s a bit of a note from that event.

  1. This Connecti:City pre-event aims mainly to gather aspirations and insights from local governments and stakeholders about the development of creative economy in their respective regions, also examples or best practices of how creative economy has contributed to the local economy recovery, and elements that are required to enhance the impacts (policies, programs, etc.).
  2. West Java Province inaugurated the West Java Creative Economy & Innovation Committee (KREASI) in 2019, whose main task is to assist the West Java Government in creative economy development. There are seven priority programs for creative economy in West Java: (1) increasing access to digital literacy, (2) developing a creative industry platform, (3) developing database and research on creative economy, (4) increasing access to sales, (5) activating creative centres, (6) increasing access to payment methods, (7) activating creative economy institutions. 
  3. Since its establishment, KREASI has conducted several programs, among others are: (1) UDUNAN that aims to facilitate creative entrepreneurs with access to financing, both banking and non-banking resources, (2) Teras Indonesia, a space provided by IKEA in Kota Baru Parahyangan for local products/brands, collaborating with West Java Craft Council, (3) Borongdong, a closed-loop (exclusive for West Java government employees) digital e-commerce platform for creative industries with supports in marketing, logistics and distribution, (4) Capacity Building programs through online classes, and so on.
  4. West Java Province proposes a number of recommendations at the international, national, and regional levels. At the international level, the government wishes to establish Connecti:City as a continuous collaboration platform between West Java and the international creative economy communities; to strengthen cooperation among global south countries in accordance with the spirit of Asia Africa Conference; and to push forward the creative economy sector to answer to the SDG challenges in the post-pandemic era.
  5. At the national level, West Java Government proposes to expand cooperation among provinces; to encourage benchmarking and exchange best practices/experiences of creative economy; to promote creative economy as a driving force for post-pandemic recovery. 
  6. At the regional level, the provincial government urges all cities/regencies in West Java region to enact regulations on creative economy; to create a multi sector action plan that creates a synergy for creative economy development; to establish a city/regency-level creative economy institution/committee.
  7. The Indonesia Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy brought up the issues around the digital creative economy ecosystem and development program.  
  8. Grisana Punpeng, Ph.D., from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, did a research on several UNESCO Creative Cities in order to learn about the framework of a “cultural/creative city” as a reference for Buriram development as a liveable – rather than a tourist – city. Three points of recommendations that came out of this research are: (1) integrating creative economy and cultural-/creative industries policies to the development plan; (2) providing space to create, collaborate and grow; (3) creating a creative coalition (local government, private sectors, city inhabitants, educational institutions, CSOs).
  9. My material mainly covers the usual points: how community initiatives can lead to formulations of frameworks and models of impactful programs that can be implemented and improved for relevance. A solid network of communities would be able to achieve further: act as a pressure group to influence the passing of a bill on creative economy. The examples presented were from Bandung Creative City Forum (BCCF), then Indonesia Creative Cities Network (ICCN) whose city/regency members have been active for a similar fight in their respective areas.

Speakers also came from East Java and East Nusa Tenggara, two provinces that are collaborating with West Java within the Creative Economy sector. The workshop, that was held simultaneously online and on site, joined by an ample amount of participants composed of governments and other stakeholders from different cities/regencies, went quite lively. The three main questions that attempted to dig out the participants’ aspirations and ideas have, in a playful manner, shaped a number of recommendations that can be wrapped and submitted to the main event, Connecti:City, as a supplement for the Bandung Communique.  

This Preparatory Meeting/Workshop concluded with a keynote from Tom Fleming, whose TFCC recently completed a research on Cultural Cities Profile in Asia, among which were 14 Indonesian cities. Tom shared the learning points from the research, encouraging us to embrace our heritage, diversity, hubs, and connections. Closing the talk, he prompted us with questions/statements such as, “Can creativity build a better post-covid city?”, and, “Re-imagining the city is a team sport”. Appropriately intriguing, to pursue the next events!