Indonesia’s Creative Industry Today: The Role of Creative Industry in Facing ASEAN Economic Community 2015

The creative industry is seen as a vital part of moving the country towards a more innovative and productive. It also important towards contributing to the welfare and sustainable development. Indonesia, as a one of ASEAN Community countries, has been experiencing a sudden growth in contemporary art market. It is true that Indonesia has been gearing up to develop its creative industry in facing ASEAN Economic Community 2015. It is illustrated by the enthusiasm which came up in 2009, when Ministry of Trade was designed 2009 as “The Year of Creative Industry”. The creative industry could become an answer to drive the increases of our economic growth.

According to the Ministry’s data, in 2010, creative industry which currently comprises 15 sectors, including arts, advertising, performing arts, handicraft, music, fashion, and design contributing a total of 7.2% of GDP and 9% of export value, and it was growing rapidly to 9% of GDP in 2013. It became more interesting when the data showed that the highest contributor in the industry is fashion, which represented 64.4% of last years’ overall creative industry exports. However, based on the Trade Ministry’s data, exports of fashion products topped $10.97 billion from January to November last year. Indonesia’s biggest destinations for fashion products are the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Belgium.

Indonesia’s creative industry is offering great potentials and opportunities, such as:

Productivity & Creativity

The advances of creative industry can boost the productivity of economic actors. They will be encouraged to produce an innovative products and services that are highly competitive. In the right time, the Indonesian economic actors will be better prepared to struggle with other countries, in competition at the time of the embodiment of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015. The economic actors will be realized the importance of supporting the sustainable development.

"Moral", a local brand men's clothing which not only focusing in fashion product,
but also social issues (www.moral.asia)

  

Youth & Entrepreneurship

Many developing countries are currently experiencing a peak in their youth populations, then well known as “youth bulges”. In Indonesia, there are more than 64 million young people aged 10-24 years. The number of Indonesian young people is a great potential toward the development of this nation forward. It has been starting since 2009, when creative industry became a warm conversation among young people to develop their own business & creative company. They started to change their own mindset with no longer think how to get a job, but how to create a job.

Currently, most of creative industries is also initiated by young people, especially when the technology is becoming more sophisticated. In early 2010, the emergence of local brand fashion market has been increasing rapidly, such as Bright Spot in Jakarta, Trademark & Lookats Market in Bandung, Kick Fest in several cities in Indonesia, and many temporary markets which became an annual event as well as a new attraction for foreign and domestic visitors. It’s a good sign that fashion sector would continue to drive the increase in exports, followed by culinary.

Lookats Market in Bandung, an annual temporary market
which brought young designers and their local products in one stop venue (www.freemagz.com)

Amble Footwear at Brighspot, a local brand footwear created by young entrepreneur
(www.amblefootwear.com)

Moreover, developing creative industries is the right step in facing the ASEAN Economic Community next year. But still, there are many challenges and ongoing tasks should be done very soon, such as the economic infrastructure and system that do not support the formation of qualified human resources. The development of creative industry and it processes to ASEAN Economic Community should be encouraged by the collaboration and cooperation among government, stakeholders, intellectuals, and society.

The coming years, we will see greater potential that the Indonesian economy will no longer dependent only on manufacturing, agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fisheries, but also creative industries. The next step will be to make the creative industry sustainable, which is through intellectual property rights to protect its entrepreneur and their works.***

Bandung, 23 September 2014

Cheers!

Achie