JAKARTA - The government is preparing to increase the allocation of the Cultural Endowment Fund in 2026. However, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon emphasized that the increase in funds will not have a significant impact if access for art and culture actors remains complicated and exclusive.
The statement was made by Fadli Zon at the 2026 Education Endowment Fund Patron Board meeting at the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, Jakarta, Tuesday (13/1). He highlighted that it was still difficult for cultural actors - especially indigenous communities - to access permanent funds due to rigid and bureaucratic digital procedures. "There is funding, but access is not yet friendly. This is a real problem in the field," said Fadli.
He emphasized that culture must be positioned as an economic driver as well as national soft power. According to him, Indonesia has world-class cultural wealth, including the discovery of the oldest cave painting, which is around 51,200 years old, which can strengthen Indonesia's position in global cultural diplomacy.
Therefore, Fadli proposed expanding the priority of the STEM field to STEAM, with emphasis on art. This step is considered important to prepare museum experts and cultural experts, in line with the agenda to revitalize museums as cultural and economic centers.
Meanwhile, the Acting President Director of the LPDP, Sudarto, conveyed the 2026 funding projection using a conservative assumption, but opened the opportunity for more aggressive realization through a soft budget constraint scheme that was evaluated throughout the year.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno added that the development of national human resources is not enough to just produce talents, but also to maintain and integrate them with strategic industries. He encouraged the formation of a task force for scholarships and research to be in line with long-term development targets.
This meeting emphasized that the funds increased, but were required to be more inclusive, impactful, and directly touch cultural actors.
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