Sandiaga Uno Yakin Makassar Becomes One Of The Epicenters Of The Music Festival

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraft) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is optimistic that Makassar City can become the epicenter of a music festival, not only in eastern Indonesia but in Indonesia in general. "I am optimistic that Makassar can become a big hub for big music events. So that the epicenter of the music festival can refer to Makassar and the interconnection can be in Makassar," he said on a working visit in Makassar, quoted from Antara, Sunday, June 30.

Sandiaga was present at the 2024 Makassar Music Conference (MMC) which was held by Prolog Fest every year since 2017. Including the COVID-19 pandemic which was held in a hybrid manner at that time. The presence of the 2024 MMC, Sandiaga acknowledged, is proof that there has been development in the music arts sector in the country, especially in Makassar City. Moreover, according to him, local Makassar music and music from eastern Indonesia have also existed in various regions. Like music from Ambon, said the former Deputy Governor of Jakarta, he said that Ambon music has been famous and is liked by many people in other regions, such as Manado. Moreover, at dialogue in MMC, said Sandiaga, there has been a request from Makassar musicians for buses to jump to the international level. "This is what we will facilitate because there was some hope from the MMC participants. We want other local bands to rise to nationally and even internationally," he said.

MMC, which was held from June 28-30, is expected to be able to become a forum and exchange ideas for Indonesian musicians and music activists to develop music in its area as well as opportunities to create new formulas that can synergize with the national music ecosystem. This is considered to help the music sub-sector ecosystem in Makassar, especially since this is the favorite sub-sector in Daeng City with culinary, film and craft. "Currently, what has been developed continues to be animation, so that with the presence of this event, ideas were born about how the development of Makassar's music sub-sector in the future," he said.