Jakarta. Indonesia’s creative economy continues to grow as a major source of employment, absorbing 27.4 million workers in 2025, or 18.7 percent of the national workforce, according to data released Monday by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

The figure marks a rise from 26.48 million workers, or 18.3 percent, recorded in 2024.

West Java remains the province with the largest number of creative-economy workers, employing 6.24 million people in the sector. 

“The top three provinces with the largest creative-economy workforce -- West Java, Central Java, and East Java -- account for 57.81 percent of all creative-economy workers nationwide,” BPS Chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti said in a statement.

To map the sector more comprehensively, BPS plans to conduct a Creative Economy Census in 2026, covering businesses in culinary, fashion, gaming, music, film, design, digital content, and other creative fields. The resulting dataset will form the basis for calculating the sector’s GDP contribution.

“Comprehensive data is crucial for designing the right policies for industry development,” Amalia said, expressing appreciation for the support of the Creative Economy Ministry and young animators who are helping promote the census.

Strong Investment and Export Performance
Earlier this month, the Creative Economy Ministry reported that the sector contributed more than Rp 1,500 trillion (around $90 billion) -- or around 7 percent of national GDP -- to Indonesia’s economy.

In the first half of 2025, investment reached Rp 90.1 trillion ($5.4 billion), equal to 66 percent of the annual target. The largest sources of investment originated from Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, the United States, and China.

Jakarta remained the top investment destination with Rp 25.97 trillion ($1.6 billion), followed by East Java, West Java, Banten, and Central Java. The most attractive sub-sectors for investors included online applications, fashion, crafts, and culinary businesses.

Exports from the creative sector reached $12.9 billion in the first half of 2025, representing 49 percent of the annual target. The vast majority of the sector’s 26.47 million workers are under 40, highlighting the strong role of youth in Indonesia’s creative industries.

Since taking office in October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto has upgraded the sector’s strategic status by establishing a standalone Creative Economy Ministry, separating it from tourism to sharpen the government’s focus on innovation, job creation, investment, and export growth.