At IdeaFest 2025, Indonesia’s cultural and creative sectors converged in a landmark initiative: the launch of the Gado Gado Indonesian Cultural Hub. Spearheaded by KADIN Indonesia in collaboration with leading cultural institutions, the hub brought together diverse disciplines—art, design, fashion, culinary, and innovation—into a vibrant, living ecosystem that celebrated the nation’s creative identity and global potential.
The Gado Gado Indonesian Cultural Hub emerged from a shared vision among KADIN Indonesia and a coalition of national creative platforms, collectively known as the Gado Gado Cultural Network. This network included Brightspot Market, IdeaFest, Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW), ICAD (Indonesia Contemporary Art & Design), ADGI Design Week, Indonesia Dessert Week (IDW), CAKRA, and the Indonesian Culinary Council (DKI). Together, they formed a strategic foundation for cross-sector collaboration, idea exchange, and ecosystem development—strengthening Indonesia’s cultural identity while expanding its global reach.
The initiative embodied Indonesia’s ethos of unity in diversity. Each creative element—whether rooted in art, fashion, design, or cuisine—contributed to a national narrative that felt both authentic and globally resonant. Much like the dish that inspired its name, the hub blended distinct ingredients into a harmonious whole, symbolizing the power of creative pluralism.
The hub also reflected a broader shift in how Indonesia’s creative economy is being shaped. Platforms like Brightspot have long championed the idea that collaboration is more than a trend—it’s the foundation of a resilient, locally grounded, and globally relevant creative economy. Similarly, Jakarta Fashion Week has demonstrated how fashion can serve as a powerful storytelling medium, and the Gado Gado initiative expanded that stage, offering new space for cultural narratives to flourish.
Culinary culture played a central role as well. The hub celebrated food not just as flavor, but as a form of identity—uniting tastes, regions, and generations to showcase Indonesia’s diversity as its greatest strength.
During IdeaFest 2025, the Gado Gado Indonesian Cultural Hub became a dynamic showcase of Indonesia’s creative richness. Visitors explored curated exhibitions, cross-sector dialogues, culinary performances, and collaborative installations that embodied the spirit of innovation and cultural synergy.
The pavilion also served as a strategic forum for industry leaders and stakeholders to discuss the future of Indonesia’s cultural soft power and the role of creative industries in diplomacy and economic development. It was supported by a diverse group of collaborators—ranging from Art Moments and Museum of Toys (MoT) to Cita Tenun Indonesia, Compass, and Sun Eater—who brought the spirit of “Unity in Diversity” to life through immersive exhibitions and performances. Major sponsors such as BRI, Mandiri, Wondr by BNI, BTN, and BSI further underscored the initiative’s national significance.
More than a temporary installation, the Gado Gado Indonesian Cultural Hub marked the beginning of a long-term cultural movement. Through residencies, programs, and strategic partnerships, it aimed to foster a sustainable ecosystem of creative exchange—positioning culture as a vital force in Indonesia’s social, economic, and diplomatic future. Institutions like ICAD continued their mission within the hub, exploring how creative thinking could bridge tradition and modernity. The initiative demonstrated that Indonesian identity is not static, but constantly evolving through dialogue, imagination, and innovation.
Born from a collective vision shared by KADIN Indonesia, IdeaFest, Jakarta Fashion Week, Brightspot, ICAD, Indonesia Dessert Week, ADGI Design Week, the Indonesian Culinary Council, and CAKRA, Gado Gado emerged as a living tapestry of Indonesia’s cultural imagination. The initiative connected creators, thinkers, and communities who believe that culture must be lived, challenged, and evolved—not merely preserved. It amplified Indonesia’s creative voice as a form of soft power, inviting the world to see, taste, and understand the richness of its identity.
Like the dish that inspired its name, Gado Gado was a living blend—where tradition met trend, and every element came together to create something authentically Indonesian, yet always new.
