Jakarta. Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) reaffirmed its support for Indonesia’s creative economy by taking part in the 2025 Indonesia Creative Cities Festival (ICCF), a five-day event held from November 6–10 across Batu and the wider Malang Raya region.

BNI Commercial Banking Director Muhammad Iqbal said the bank’s participation marked an important moment for the country’s creative ecosystem. “BNI sees the creative industry as a new engine of national economic growth. Through cross-sector collaborations like ICCF, we aim to strengthen creative networks from local to global levels,” he said in a written statement.

Held under the theme “Nusantaraya – Senyawa Malang Raya,” ICCF 2025 showcased collaboration across regions, cultures, and generations to unlock creative potential rooted in innovation and sustainability. The festival served as a hub for ideas, community engagement, and intercity creative exchange.

Iqbal added that BNI’s involvement reflects the bank’s long-term strategy to help creative businesses and local MSMEs enhance their competitiveness and expand internationally. The bank provides access to financing, digital services, and business advisory support aligned with government and community programs.

As part of the festival, the International Conference, “Global Collaboration for Indonesia’s Creative Economy”, brought together national and international speakers from institutions including Institut Français Indonesia, British Council, Telkomsel, and Amazon Web Services.

Speaking at a panel on Saturday, Nov. 8, BNI SME Business Division Head Faizal Isnaeni highlighted the bank’s support for East Java’s creative community. BNI has disbursed its People’s Business Credit (KUR) to creative sectors such as animation, film, and programming at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to fund studio development and working capital.

BNI also promoted its Xpora program, designed to help MSMEs and creative workers enter global markets through export training, collaboration with government agencies, access to nine overseas branches, and digital services including Wondr by BNI, BNI Direct, and TapCash.

With these initiatives, BNI positions itself as a strategic partner for Indonesia’s creative and MSME sectors both at home and abroad. “Through collaboration with ICCN and local creative communities, BNI wants to ensure Indonesian creators gain wider access to financing, financial literacy, and international markets. This is part of our mission to bring Nusantara’s creative spirit to the world,” Iqbal said.