Gresik Regent Encourages Damar Kurung Creative House to Become Cultural Tourism Destination
Gresik Regent Fandi Akhmad Yani inaugurated the Damar Kurung Creative House and opened a painting exhibition titled ‘Damar Kurung Melintas Waktu’ on Jalan KH Kholil, Kebungson Village, Gresik, on Saturday, 27 June 2026. The presence of the creative house is expected to become a centre for cultural preservation while integrating with the tourism sector to drive the community’s economy.
According to the Regent, who is familiarly known as Gus Yani, Gresik Regency is not only known as an industrial city and a city of santri, but also possesses historical richness and arts and culture that have been recognised nationally. One such cultural heritage is the Damar Kurung, which has been designated as an Indonesian Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Gus Yani hopes the Damar Kurung Creative House can become a creative space for the younger generation to maintain cultural identity while becoming a tourist destination that attracts more visitors. ‘Hopefully, this strategic step can transform the potential of local artists’ creativity into an ecosystem that has high and sustainable economic value,’ he hoped.
Gus Yani emphasised that the Damar Kurung is not merely a wooden lantern decorated with painted paper, but a symbol that records the life, traditions, social values, and spirituality of the coastal community of Gresik. ‘Through the brushstrokes of our maestro, Mbah Masmundari, Damar Kurung has travelled far, introducing the face of Gresik to the world’s fine art stage,’ he said.
He assessed that the inauguration of the Damar Kurung Creative House is a form of commitment by the Gresik Regency Government together with the community to maintain the sustainability of this cultural heritage. This place is expected to become a learning centre, a creative incubation space for the younger generation, as well as a collaborative platform for artists. ‘We want to ensure that our future grandchildren do not only hear the name Damar Kurung from history books, but are able to paint and interpret it directly,’ said Gus Yani.
He also appreciated the holding of the ‘Damar Kurung Melintas Waktu’ exhibition, which he considered to carry an important message that traditional art must be able to adapt to the times. ‘Damar Kurung must be able to cross generational barriers, from the past of Mbah Masmundari, the present in the hands of modern artists, to the future in the digital era. This exhibition is proof that Damar Kurung is a living, dynamic art that continues to inspire,’ he said.
On the same occasion, the Chairman of the Damar Kurung Creative House Committee, Muhammad Anhar, expressed his hope that the facility would become an epicentre of creativity capable of encouraging the younger generation to preserve local culture while developing a culture-based creative economy. ‘I hope this place inspires the youth of Gresik to continue creating, appreciating, and continuing the legacy of the region’s art maestros. Additionally, it serves as a collaborative space for young people to learn, share, and bring art to life free of charge,’ he said.
The Gresik Regency Government hopes that the Damar Kurung Creative House will not only be a space for art appreciation but also become a driving force for a culture-based creative economy through synergy with the tourism sector, so that the benefits can be directly felt by artists and the surrounding community.