ASEANNETWORKNEWS| France and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are strengthening cooperation in arts, culture, and the creative industries through a regional initiative designed to expand cross-border collaboration, improve opportunities for creative professionals, and increase the international visibility of Southeast Asian cultural talent.
The initiative, known as Creative ASEAN–France, was launched in Jakarta on September 10, 2026. It seeks to bring together existing cultural partnerships under a more coordinated regional framework, creating opportunities for artists, researchers, cultural institutions, and creative entrepreneurs from France and Southeast Asia to work together.
Creative ASEAN–France is intended to strengthen connections among cultural communities across the region. Rather than relying exclusively on separate bilateral programs, the initiative aims to establish a shared framework through which participants can develop projects, exchange knowledge, and build professional networks across national borders.
The program is supported by the ASEAN–France Fund as part of the broader ASEAN–France Development Partnership and operates under the framework of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and Arts (SOMCA).
According to reporting by Indonesia's public broadcaster RRI, the initiative is designed to connect cultural collaborations that already exist across Southeast Asia and provide them with greater regional visibility. French Ambassador to ASEAN Fabien Penone has highlighted the importance of linking creative professionals and institutions more systematically.
The initiative also aligns with ASEAN's broader efforts to develop an inclusive and sustainable creative economy. Its approach reflects the growing recognition that cultural cooperation can contribute not only to mutual understanding but also to professional development, innovation, and economic opportunities.
One of the initiative's principal components is the development of at least one flagship program in each ASEAN member state, creating a minimum of 11 initiatives across the region.
These programs may include artistic residencies, professional exchanges, research-based projects, creative workshops, and capacity-building activities. Participants could include artists, curators, cultural managers, researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from ASEAN countries and France.
Some projects may take place in a single country, while others could involve several locations across Southeast Asia and France. This arrangement is intended to enable participants to develop creative work in different cultural settings and establish partnerships that continue beyond individual events.
The program is expected to cover a broad range of sectors, including film and audiovisual production, design, fashion, music, performing arts, gaming, animation, immersive technologies, literature, and cultural policy.
By supporting collaboration across these fields, Creative ASEAN–France aims to connect artistic practice with the professional networks and institutions that help creative work reach wider audiences.
Another key component is a regional digital platform intended to help artists and creative organizations discover opportunities and establish professional relationships.
The platform is expected to provide an interactive regional map, directories of cultural organizations, information about programs and calls for applications, artist profiles, sector reports, case studies, and networking resources.
Such a platform could make it easier for creative professionals to identify potential partners, find residency opportunities, exchange expertise, and develop collaborative projects across borders.
It is also intended to improve the visibility of participating artists and institutions beyond their domestic markets. However, the initiative's long-term impact will depend on the platform's implementation, accessibility, continued maintenance, and ability to generate sustained professional engagement.
Creative ASEAN–France places emphasis on mobility, professional development, and the exchange of knowledge among creative practitioners.
Initial program estimates reported by RRI indicate that approximately 15 to 20 participants are expected to take part directly in artistic residencies, while another 25 to 40 professionals could participate in industry exchanges and workshops.
These figures represent anticipated direct participation rather than the total number of people who may eventually benefit from the program.
The initiative is also expected to encourage gender balance, geographical diversity, youth participation, and the inclusion of underrepresented communities. Environmental sustainability is identified as another consideration in program design and implementation.
If implemented effectively, these measures could help widen access to international cultural networks for practitioners who have limited opportunities to participate in cross-border projects.
Indonesia is positioned to participate in the initiative through its established cultural institutions, artistic communities, and creative industries.
Deputy Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha said Indonesia was prepared to engage in international cooperation programs in culture and the creative industries, including Creative ASEAN–France. RRI also reported that Indonesia was developing a national talent-management ecosystem intended to increase the international visibility of Indonesian creative professionals.
Existing Indonesia–France cooperation provides a foundation for further collaboration, particularly in film. One example is the Indonesia–France Film Lab, which has developed through the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) market in Yogyakarta and connects filmmakers with international industry expertise.
The broader relationship also extends beyond film to cultural heritage, museums, literature, music, visual arts, and contemporary artistic production.
In October 2026, Indonesia's Culture Minister Fadli Zon met French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard in Paris to discuss strengthening bilateral cultural cooperation. According to Indonesia's state news agency ANTARA, the discussions covered the international promotion of Indonesian culture, heritage conservation, museums, film, literature, music, and contemporary creation.
These bilateral efforts and the regional Creative ASEAN–France initiative have related objectives, although they are distinct areas of cooperation.
The launch of Creative ASEAN–France marks a step toward more coordinated regional cultural cooperation between France and Southeast Asia. Its planned flagship programs, artistic residencies, professional exchanges, and digital platform provide mechanisms for connecting creative communities across national borders.
The next stage will involve translating those plans into accessible programs and sustained collaboration. Coordination among governments, cultural institutions, artists, and industry participants will be important in determining whether the initiative can deliver opportunities across the region rather than concentrating benefits in a limited number of locations or organizations.
As implementation proceeds, the development of the digital platform, the distribution of opportunities among participating countries, and the continuity of professional partnerships will be important indicators of progress.
For Indonesia and its ASEAN partners, the initiative offers a framework for expanding cultural engagement with France while strengthening regional connections among creative professionals. Its long-term significance will depend on whether those connections develop into practical, inclusive, and sustainable cooperation.
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