Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the mediation of different theoretical understandings of creativity as a concept informed by cultural creative practice. Examining its life in Indonesia’s traditional textile industry, it looks at how creative industry development initiatives intersect with local creativity.

Paper long abstract:

This paper aims to unravel the hierarchies in defining creativity through Western-dominated ideas of art and innovation (Fahmi, McCann & Koster, 2017) and how they can be reconciled with local creativity. I explore creativity as it is interpreted as an entrepreneurial quality in Indonesia’s craft sector (Global Business Guide, 2018), as the state interacts with the creative landscape of traditional textile communities. Inspired by the Balinese concept of taksu - roughly translated as ‘a calling or natural talent’- this paper discusses the impact of Western ideas of creativity within a context where it can be understood and experienced differently.

Examining local creativity in the context of women traditional textile weavers in Indonesia, I explore the intersection where governmental development initiatives engage with local communities and traditional markets. Indonesia’s framework for economic development in the creative industries was adapted and defined by the UK creative sector blueprint (Pangestu and Nirwandar, 2014). The impact of applying this Western framework can be explored in traditional weaving communities that have participated in government creative development programmes.

This had a significant impact in the country bringing attention to regional potential for development (Fahmi, 2017), particularly local riches and cultural arts within the context of tourism, one of Indonesia’s leading economic sectors (Setiawan and Suwarningdyah, 2014; Rakib, 2017). The value put on traditional products transformed traditional textile weaving from a cultural practice to ‘economic development’ in Indonesia’s rural regions. This has since brought a perspective shift from home-based labour to creative entrepreneurship (Aziz, 2017).