Ministry of Creative Economy and Re-Publik Foto Launch 2026 National Lunar New Year Zine Competition
Jakarta – As part of Harmoni Imlek Nusantara 2026, Re-Publik Foto is presenting the 2026 National Lunar New Year Zine Competition in collaboration with the Directorate of Publishing and Photography at the Ministry of Creative Economy (Kemenekraf).
Agustini Rahayu, Deputy for Media Creativity at Kemenekraf, expressed appreciation for the initiative as a means of strengthening the ecosystem of community-based creative media. “Cultural celebrations such as Lunar New Year hold important historical and social value. When processed through the medium of zine, it becomes not merely documentation, but also a space for intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue. We hope this competition produces fresh, critical works capable of representing Indonesia’s diversity inclusively,” Agustini stated in Jakarta on Sunday.
The zine competition is a creative competition inviting the public to celebrate Lunar New Year through zine as a space for visual expression and personal narrative. The competition serves as a platform for photographers, visual activists, writers and creators across disciplines to capture, interpret and archive Lunar New Year moments in an intimate, reflective and experimental manner.
The activities are complemented by a capacity-building programme open to all participants and the public. The competition’s activities include an online workshop with Chris Tuarissa, Marrysa Tunjung Sari and Cekrek Hore Club, held on Sunday, 15 February 2026, and a photowalk at Bundaran HI featuring Lunar New Year celebrations on Monday, 16 February 2026. The workshop is designed to enrich participants’ understanding of zine concepts, visual storytelling, narrative development and work presentation strategies to ensure they possess conceptual strength and contextual depth.
Re-Publik Foto founder Fauzan stated that the competition is not merely a competitive event, but rather a space for documenting living culture. “Zine is a medium that is both personal and political. It allows us to preserve collective memory in a simple yet meaningful format. Through the 2026 National Lunar New Year Zine Competition, we wish to foster the emergence of honest visual archives documenting how Lunar New Year is celebrated today in homes, on streets, in public spaces and in everyday conversations,” Fauzan said.
Similarly, Iman Santosa, Director of Publishing and Photography at the Ministry of Creative Economy, emphasised the importance of this initiative in the national creative ecosystem. “Zine is part of the independent publishing ecosystem growing from community roots. This competition not only spurs creativity but also opens economic opportunities for creators, from production and distribution to alternative publication market development,” Iman stated. He viewed the initiative as a strategic step to strengthen the value chain of the publishing and photography subsector, whilst fostering the emergence of creative entrepreneurs based on works and culture.
The 2026 National Lunar New Year Zine Competition aims to encourage public participation in creatively and contextually documenting Lunar New Year celebrations, strengthen community-based visual storytelling practices, open spaces for cross-cultural dialogue through zine works and build a visual archive recording contemporary Lunar New Year dynamics.
The announcement of winners for the 2026 National Lunar New Year Zine Competition will take place on 1 March 2026. Selected works will have the opportunity to be exhibited and published as part of the Harmoni Imlek Nusantara 2026 documentation series. Through this competition, Re-Publik Foto invites the public to celebrate Lunar New Year not merely as a ceremonial event, but as a space for reflection, cultural encounter and an ever-evolving creative process.