Creative economy to power growth in transmigration areas: Minister

hartono · Jul 29, 2026

Creative economy to power growth in transmigration areas: Minister

Creative Economy Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya delivers his remarks during a briefing for the 2026 Patriot Expedition Teams in Jakarta on Wednesday (July 29, 2026). (ANTARA/Aria Ananda)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Creative Economy Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya said the creative economy is becoming a new engine of growth for transmigration areas by developing local potential, fostering innovation, and increasing the value added to local products.

"The creative economy is the future of Indonesia and the Patriot Teams are strategic partners in strengthening it as a new engine of national economic growth, starting from transmigration areas across the country," he said.

Speaking during a briefing for the 2026 Patriot Expedition Teams in Jakarta on Wednesday, he underscored that every transmigration area holds creative economy potential that can be tailored to the region's unique characteristics, such as crafts and fashion.

Therefore, the teams—which comprise 1,476 academics for the 2026 rollout—are expected to identify key creative economy sub-sectors with the potential to drive economic growth, map out the necessary steps to strengthen the local ecosystem, and formulate strategic development recommendations.

The mapping results will be processed jointly by the Ministry of Creative Economy and the Ministry of Transmigration to design strategies for boosting per capita income and to implement programs tailored to regional needs, he added.

Following up actions on the mapping results will focus on three main programmes, namely Creative Village Activation, Creative Hub Activation, and Creative by Indonesia.

Creative Village Activation programme is aimed at empowering communities based on their local creative economy potential, including those in transmigration areas.

Meanwhile, Creative Hub Activation is designed to cultivate talent, entrepreneurship, and local creative capacity.

Lastly, Creative by Indonesia focuses on strengthening intellectual property and local brands, helping them scale from regional markets to the national and global levels.

Minister Harsya noted Indonesia's creative economy performance demonstrates significant room for growth.

In 2025, investment realisation in the creative economy reached Rp183.01 trillion (approximately US$10.1 billion) or 134 percent of the target set in the 2025 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).

Meanwhile, the Ministry recorded creative economy exports totaling US$31.94 billion, representing 120 percent of the US$26.44 billion target. As of November 2025, these exports contributed approximately 12 percent to total non-oil and gas exports.

On the employment front, the creative economy sector absorbed 27.4 million workers, reaching 107 percent of its 25.55 million target.

In terms of gross domestic product (GDP), the creative economy sector grew by 6.86 percent in 2025, outpacing the national GDP growth rate of 5.11 percent.