Jakarta
Jakarta is home to a robust creative industry. Its creative economy, based on a 2015 presidential decree, covers 16 creative industries, including the publishing sector. Indeed, Jakarta has been recognized as a major creative centre for the publishing industry in Indonesia, according to the Independent Assessment for Creative Cities/District in Indonesia (PMK3I) commissioned by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. In 2019, Indonesia was the most productive publishing industry in Southeast Asia according to the International Publishers Association and Jakarta has been at the centre of Indonesia’s literary scene. As of 2020, 60% of Indonesian publishers were based in Jakarta; meanwhile the city also contributes to 25% of the country’s digital collection. Jakarta is endowed with Ismail Marzuki Park (TIM), a cultural centre supporting artists, cultural thinkers and their work, while providing an easy access to culture and a space for the public. What’s more, the city is also characterized by The National Library of Indonesia and Balai Pustaka, which serves primarily as a supporting institution for many well-known writers based in Jakarta such as Eka Kurniawan, Goenawan Muhammad, Ayu Utami, Leila Chudori, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Okky Madasari, Dee Lestari and Pramoedya.
As a Creative City of Literature, the following steps will be important:
- Using the city’s multicultural characteristics and rich human resources to attain decent work and economic growth and reduce inequalities; and
- Expanding JakWifi coverage and improving Jakarta´s critical thinking and digital literacy as a solution against hate speech.
