Indonesia and France Strengthen Creative Economy Ties Through Joint Fashion and Craft Residency Program
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia, through the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, is intensifying its collaboration with France in the fashion and craft sectors via a newly launched joint residency program aimed at boosting global competitiveness and innovation among creative talents.
This bilateral initiative will facilitate talent exchange and co-creation between Indonesian and French designers through collaborative workshops and shared creative spaces, serving as a strategic platform to position fashion and crafts as engines of economic growth.
“Talent exchange, collaborative workshops, and co-creation of products are key elements in positioning fashion and crafts as the new engines of growth while also supporting the global competitiveness of our creative economy,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar in a press statement issued in Jakarta on Wednesday.
She stressed that international cooperation must yield tangible outcomes through knowledge transfer, expanded business opportunities, and the development of a sustainable creative ecosystem that directly benefits entrepreneurs in the sector. Umar further underscored the significance of adopting a collaborative hexa-helix model that includes government, private sector, academia, civil society, creative communities, and media to optimize the benefits of cross-border programs.
The renewed momentum in Indonesia–France creative relations stems from the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Jakarta in May 2025, during which both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) encompassing cooperation in fashion, crafts, design, film, and the gaming industry. This MoU laid the foundation for a long-term, innovation-driven, cross-cultural ecosystem.
As a tangible outcome of this strategic partnership, the PINTU incubation platform — an initiative to foster creative entrepreneurship — is hosting a joint Residency Program and Focus Week in Jakarta and Yogyakarta this year. The program provides a collaborative workspace where creative talents from both countries can exchange ideas, co-develop projects, and strengthen cultural dialogue.
French Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Fabien Penone, highlighted the power of the creative sector as a form of cultural diplomacy and a strategic driver of international cooperation. “We believe that culture is not just a legacy but a powerful force that unites nations and opens new doors for global cooperation,” he stated, adding that creative collaboration is essential for building a more inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking world.
Chairperson of the Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival (JF3), Soegianto Nagaria, praised the PINTU program as a transformative platform for designers and artisans from both nations. He noted that participating directly in the creative process fosters deeper engagement than conventional exhibitions.
“Through PINTU, we have seen how collaboration can generate real impact. Designers and artisans are not just showcasing their work but also building networks, co-creating products, and sharing cultural values,” Nagaria remarked.
The seminar accompanying the launch of the residency program also reaffirmed the strategic role of the fashion and craft subsectors in advancing Indonesia’s creative economy. Positioned as vital components of cultural diplomacy and engines of economic development, these sectors contribute to the broader vision of Ekraf Synergy under the national Asta Ekraf framework, which promotes strategic partnerships to build a globally competitive and interconnected creative industry.
