Creative ASEAN-FRANCE official logo brings together eleven forms, symbolising the movement of ideas, people and culture across borders. (Institut français d’Indonésie)
On September 10, France and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) launched Creative ASEAN, a new regional initiative designed to deepen cooperation in the arts, culture and creative industries between France and all 11 ASEAN member states.
The initiative was unveiled at the French Ambassador’s Residence in Jakarta and will establish a shared regional label alongside a network of programmes supporting artistic creation, professional development, knowledge exchange and cross-border collaboration.
Funded through the ASEAN-France Fund under the ASEAN-France Development Partnership, Creative ASEAN will operate under the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and Arts (SOMCA). It will also support the implementation of the ASEAN Creative Economy Sustainability Framework, adopted at the 46th ASEAN Summit in May 2025, particularly in areas including cultural cooperation, creative economy development, inclusion and sustainability.
Unlike existing bilateral cultural programmes run through French embassies, Institut français and Alliance française networks across Southeast Asia, Creative ASEAN will bring these efforts together under a regional framework.
Each ASEAN member state will host at least one flagship programme, creating a minimum of 11 new initiatives across the region. Activities will include artistic residencies, professional exchanges and workshops involving artists, curators, entrepreneurs, policymakers and researchers from ASEAN and France.
Priority sectors will range from film and audiovisual production to fashion, performing arts, gaming, animation, immersive technology, literature and cultural policy.
The initiative will also establish a digital platform featuring a regional map, cultural organisation directory, programme opportunities, artist stories, sector reports and networking tools. It aims to strengthen the visibility of ASEAN and French creative communities while supporting long-term professional connections and collaboration.
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