"The creative economy has grown substantially from 2013 to 2024," said Septriana Tangkary, speaking at a public lecture at Padang State University (UNP) in Padang, West Sumatra.
Citing ministry data, she noted that employment in the creative sector rose from 14 million workers in 2013 to 26.47 million in 2024 — an increase of about 89 percent.
The sector's added value also jumped 119 percent, reaching Rp1,532 trillion (US$93.6 billion) in 2024 compared with Rp700 trillion in 2013. Meanwhile, export value grew 67 percent, from US$15 billion to US$25.1 billion over the same period.
Tangkary said the ministry has designated 15 provinces, including West Sumatra, as priority areas for creative economy development over the next five years.
To accelerate growth in these regions, the ministry is strengthening data systems to track the sector's progress, bolstering institutions, and developing creative space infrastructure. Other measures include talent development programs and the incubation of high-quality products.
The selection of priority provinces was based on indicators set by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), such as the creative economy’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), digital competitiveness index score, and the presence of universities with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs.
Other factors included the number of creative districts and cities, the cultural development index, and the financial inclusion index.
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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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