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INTERNATIONAL confidence in the potential of Indonesia’s creative economy continues to grow. This is evidenced by the selection of Indonesia to host the 2027 Year of Creativity, following a request from the World Creativity Organization (WCO).
As an initial step in preparing for this agenda, the Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, met with a WCO delegation in Jakarta on Monday (10/26), 2026 to discuss hosting plans and future collaboration opportunities.
“We greatly appreciate the WCO’s invitation for Indonesia to consider serving as the host for the 2027 Year of Creativity. We view creativity not merely as artistic expression, but as a strategic instrument that drives innovation, creates new business opportunities, strengthens the nation’s competitiveness on the international stage, and fosters economic development, social inclusion, sustainability, and human progress,” he stated.
During the meeting, the WCO delegation provided an overview of the Year of Creativity, the format of its activities, and the selection process for host countries. Indonesia also drew insights from Brazil—the host of the 2026 Year of Creativity—to serve as a reference for preparing a similar program in 2027.
The discussion also explored the potential benefits of the program for the national creative economy ecosystem, particularly in creating opportunities for young talent and creative entrepreneurs in Indonesia to expand their reach into the global market.
Minister Teuku Riefky emphasized that this opportunity should be leveraged to showcase Indonesia’s creative economy potential while generating sustainable economic benefits.
“This initiative holds great promise as a primary platform to introduce Indonesia’s creative ecosystem to the world. Our hope is that this engagement will extend beyond the event itself, delivering lasting economic impact, broadening international networks, and strengthening the foundations of our creative industry for the long term,” he explained.
As a follow-up, the Ministry of Creative Economy, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, will establish an internal review team to examine the proposal to host the “Year of Creativity 2027.” This assessment will cover infrastructure readiness, potential strategic partnerships, and the alignment of the program with national economic priorities. The findings will serve as a basis for the government’s consideration before a formal decision is made regarding Indonesia’s participation.
This dialogue marks an initial step toward exploring collaborative opportunities between Indonesia and the global creative economy community. If realized, the program is expected to enhance international recognition of Indonesian talent, products, and creative works, while simultaneously providing access to global networks and markets.
The World Creative Organization (WCO) is an international body focused on promoting creativity as a catalyst for economic transformation, innovation, education, and sustainable development. Spearheaded and represented by its Co-Founder and Vice President, Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg, the organization launched its initiative in December 2025, designating Brazil as the host for the “Year of Creativity 2026.”
The WCO has developed a global collaboration platform and a bidding mechanism for countries interested in hosting the annual event.
Meanwhile Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg expressed optimism regarding the potential of Indonesia’s creative economy and the collaborative opportunities that could be cultivated leading up to 2027.
“We see that Indonesia possesses a highly dynamic and competitive creative ecosystem. We hope this preliminary discussion will pave the way for a close and sustained partnership to elevate the potential of Indonesia’s creativity onto the international stage by 2027,” concluded Edna. [traveltext.id]
