Impactful Culture

Culture is often still considered simply as entertainment, a lifestyle, or just a side activity.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates ascended together to the stage during the final session of the 5th round Presidential Election Debate 2024 at Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, on Sunday (4/2/2023).

The 2024 General Election presidential candidate debate, several months ago, initially did not mention the theme of culture at all. Only after input emerged from artists and cultural actors, the cultural theme was then proposed in the fifth debate.

The negligence of the General Election Commission in including cultural themes may be in line with the common perception that culture is still seen as mere entertainment, lifestyle, or just a sideline activity.

Cultural statistician De Budi Sudarsono recognizes the emergence of such perceptions. When discussing culture, many parties consider it only as an aesthetic and symbolic element without any direct tangible impact.

However, according to De Budi Sudarsono, the opening of the 2023 Indonesian Cultural Congress on October 23 has emphasized the importance of the role of culture in the context of national development. "Through research released by the Minister of Education and Culture, a strong correlation was found between the Cultural Development Index (IPK) and other indices that reflect the country's economic, social and political conditions," he said.

This research proves that the higher the cultural economic dimension of the GPA, the lower the poverty level.

The cultural and economic dimensions have a negative correlation with the poverty rate of minus 0.31. This means that an increase in the cultural and economic dimensions will be followed by a decrease in the poverty rate, and vice versa, a decrease in the cultural and economic dimensions will be followed by an increase in the poverty rate. This indicates that culture plays an important role in the economy.

According to De Budi Sudarsono, one cultural aspect that is often overlooked but has great potential in improving economic quality is the traditional knowledge treasury, especially in the agricultural sector.

"Through thousands of years of experience and adaptation, traditional communities in Indonesia have developed sustainable methods of farming, food storage, and processing that are in accordance with the unique local ecosystems," he said.

Utilizing traditional knowledge can become a solution to the current food sovereignty challenges. For example, eco-friendly traditional agricultural techniques, such as the Subak system in Bali, show how irrigation can be managed sustainably.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The subak and terrace irrigation system, as well as organic fertilizer made from animal waste, were implemented in Mangesta Village, Penebel, Tabanan, Bali on Wednesday (2/2/2011).

Meanwhile, Research Coordinator of the Indonesian Art Coalition, Ratri Ninditya, exemplifies one cultural aspect which is art that contributes significantly to the economy. Art activities can increase money circulation, absorb labor, and generate tax revenue.

The results of the economic impact study of Artjog 2022 on the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) conducted by Ike Janita Dewi and Tri Subagya show that during the implementation of Artjog 2022, spending by visitors from outside DIY increased three to four times.

In addition, the average length of stay for domestic tourists in Yogyakarta has also increased more than two-fold, from 2.01 days to 4.08 days.

Overall, the implementation of Artjog contributed around IDR 3.4 trillion or 2.28 percent of DIY's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in 2021. "It turns out the impact is huge. "Hopefully this motivates us all because we are creating a kind of movement that can turn the wheels of the economy in the arts and culture ecosystem," said Heri Pemad, founder of Artjog (Kompas.id, 30 June 2023).

Also read: Cultural Potential Has Not Been Optimized

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Several works sold for fundraising were showcased in the Artjog 2023 exhibition at the Jogja National Museum in Yogyakarta on Tuesday (4/7/2023). This exhibition carries the theme "Motif: Proposal" involving 73 artists consisting of 51 adult artists and 22 child artists. This annual exhibition lasts until August 27, 2023.

In the third edition of the UNESCO Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity report entitled "Addressing Culture as a Global Public Good" it was stated that the cultural and creative economy sectors contributed 3.1 percent of domestic product global gross and 6.2 percent of all employment. Therefore, culture as public property must be respected and preserved for the benefit of present and future generations.

We often talk about culture as extraordinary potential. However, this potential needs to be realized so that its form can be seen.

Isna Zuriatina, statistics from the Central Statistics Agency of West Nusa Tenggara Province in Temali: Journal of Social Development, Volume 3 Number 1 of 2020 shows research results that illustrate the IPK (Cultural Development Index) and Human Development Index (HDI) have positive relationship. The higher the GPA achievement, the higher the HDI achievement of a region.

Using simple linear regression statistical analysis, it was found that every one percent increase in GPA will increase HDI by 0.437 percent. This finding is expected to provide recommendations to the government regarding cultural-based national development. This means that all development planning must also consider cultural development.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

The atmosphere of the Indonesian Cultural Congress (KKI) dialogue entitled "Protecting Culture, Developing Tourism" was held at the Plaza Insan Berprestasi of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in Jakarta on Thursday (26/10/2023).

Foundation for development

Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) Hilmar Farid said that culture needs to be used as a basis for development, including in welcoming the vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045. Moreover, Indonesia is a country cultural superpower as stated by UNESCO at the meeting of member countries in 2017.

President Joko Widodo has also said on various occasions that the strength of culture is the main capital in developing the country because culture is the "DNA" of the Indonesian nation. The potential that Indonesia has must be optimized so that Indonesia can compete with other countries.

Last year's Indonesian Cultural Congress (KKI) successfully harvested ideas from 50 dialogue spaces held in Jakarta from October 23-27, 2023. These ideas were then compiled into the National Action Plan for Cultural Advancement 2025-2029, which serves as a blueprint for cultural policy for the next five years.

"We often talk about culture as extraordinary potential. "However, this potential needs to be realized so that its form can be seen," said Hilmar.

The results of the 2023 KKI are in line with the recommendations of the Cultural Development Planning Conference (Musrenbang) which took place on 20-29 October 2023. This further emphasizes that culture is a resource to face various challenges, such as ecological, economic and social (Kompas.id , October 30, 2023).

Also read: Cultural Investment

The enactment of Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture becomes the foundation as well as the encouragement for efforts to protect, develop, utilize, and foster national culture. This legality strengthens the strategic role of national culture in development.