Minister of Culture encourages ISI Surakarta to open a study of cultural design, Soroti IP as a creative industry machine

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon encourages the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) Surakarta to accelerate the establishment of the Cultural Design Study Program. He assessed that the art campus is not enough to just produce works, but must become a "idea factory" that practices cultural knowledge and transforms it into a sustainable ecosystem - including through the use of cultural Intellectual Property (IP).

The encouragement was conveyed by Fadli during a dialogue with the Director of ISI Postgraduate Studies Surakarta at the Ministry of Culture office, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday (24/2/2026). The meeting discussed the synergy of art programs between the Ministry of Culture and ISI Surakarta, with one of the focuses being the establishment of new studies.

"In the future, institutions must emphasize the approach through practice. In addition, the institutionalization of cultural knowledge must also be strengthened in the academic world, because that is what runs the culture sustainably and produces cultural thoughts, artists, cultural people, to maestros," said Fadli. He also mentioned the opportunity to strengthen other art study programs, such as the study of traditional weapons and pencak silat.

Fadli emphasized that cultural IP is not just a complement, but can become one of the largest cultural industries in the current era. For him, culture must be read as two things at once: an economic driver and the foundation of a nation's identity that continues to grow.

Director of ISI Surakarta Graduate School Dr. Eko Supriyanto stated support for strengthening the cultural ecosystem based on universities, especially through graduate students. "Graduate programs must depart from the concept of sensibility towards complexity and glorify human and natural well-being... sharpen sensitivity in responding to various cultures rooted in living practices and the concept of megadiversity," he said.

The dialogue was attended by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture Bambang Wibawarta, Director General of Cultural and Traditional Protection Restu Gunawan, Director General of Development, Utilization and Development of Culture Ahmad Mahendra, and Expert Staff of the Minister of Culture for Economic and Industrial Affairs Anindita Kusuma Listya. From ISI Surakarta, there were a number of postgraduate students and cultural activists, including Prof. Sardono W. Kusumo.

Closing the meeting, Fadli expressed full support for the study plan of Cultural Design. "We fully support the plan from ISI Surakarta. In the future, we will discuss with the Minister of Education and Technology so that it can be in line with the cultural development program," he said.