Cimahi Emerges as Indonesia’s Animation Industry Hub

RRI.CO.ID, Cimahi - Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has voiced strong support for developing Cimahi, West Java, into a national animation industry hub. The initiative aims to strengthen the local creative economy ecosystem by fostering active collaboration between local administrations, the central government, and industry players.

The Speaker of Commission VII DPR, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, emphasized on Friday, June 5, 2026, that Indonesia needs to nurture cities with robust, specialized sector identities. By doing so, each region can cultivate a distinctive and highly competitive economic character.

"I totally agree. We need to build a model like special cities in other countries. Cimahi must be able to develop into an animation city," Saleh Partaonan Daulay said during a working agenda for the Working Committee (Panja) on National Film Creativity and Distribution, as quoted by Antara.

Building a specialized regional identity is expected to generate fresh economic appeal and drive local growth. This strategic positioning will transform Cimahi into a go-to destination for learning, collaborating, and launching innovative creative works.

Saleh added that youth interest in animation is surging as early as elementary and high school levels, underscoring the urgent need for dedicated learning and creativity centers.

"Cimahi is not only a place for people to find culinary delights or shop for clothes, but also a destination to learn and get to know the animation industry," he added.

This economic optimism is well-founded, as Cimahi's animation studios have already proven their ability to compete on the international stage.

For example, Ayena Mandiri Sinema Studio, the creators behind the animation Super Neli, disclosed that approximately 20 percent of their current project pipeline comes from the export market. Their local production operations actively employ more than 100 creative workers from Cimahi.

Beyond generating overseas revenue, the local animation industry acts as a vital engine for regional human resource development.

"Around 80 percent of our training program participants come from vocational schools, and many of them have successfully secured jobs after graduation. We also actively accelerate local IP (Intellectual Property) development to enable regional creators to thrive," said CEO of Ayena Mandiri Sinema Studio, Robby Ul Pratama, highlighted the industry's role in empowering local youths.

The high absorption of local talent in Cimahi demonstrates that the animation sector delivers tangible employment opportunities for the younger generation in West Java, which currently stands as one of Indonesia's largest creative economy epicenters.

According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) for 2025, the creative economy sector absorbed 27.4 million workers, accounting for roughly 18.7 percent of the total national workforce. West Java emerged as the top-performing province in this sector, employing a massive 6.24 million people within the creative economy.

The DPR views the formal cultivation of Cimahi as an animation city as a premier strategy to solidify West Java's creative ecosystem while positioning Indonesian creative intellectual property to compete globally. ***