RRI Madiun Promotes Local Wisdom and Creative Economy Through Cultural Festival

The public broadcasting institution Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) Madiun is working to preserve local wisdom and stimulate the local creative economy through an event titled the RRI Madiun Cultural Festival 2026. Director of Human Resources and General Affairs of LPP RRI, Dedi Suparman, stated that the festival is highly relevant to RRI’s mission, particularly in inspiring the public with Indonesian cultural values. He noted that the event serves as a form of cultural literacy for the community regarding local wisdom in the Greater Madiun area. “Culture is part of civilisation, so this civilisation is not only about recording its history but also about how we preserve, regenerate, develop, and maintain culture so that it remains sustainable,” he said during the opening of the RRI Madiun Cultural Festival in Madiun, East Java, on Friday afternoon. He explained that RRI must encourage the public, especially the younger generation, to participate in the context of preserving culture. According to him, RRI serves as a miniature of Indonesia because it is spread across the entire archipelago, and therefore it must represent the local wisdom of each region. “Thus, art and culture must continue to be preserved, not only by RRI but also by all elements of society,” he added. The Head of RRI Madiun, Kukuh Setyo Budi Akhrianto, said that art and culture must be continuously preserved. He therefore invited all elements of society to “nguri-uri” (nurture) culture so that it does not become extinct over time. “This activity is a manifestation of my thinking that local strength is inseparable from local traditions and culture itself. Therefore, we need to explore, revive, and empower it, such as through this cultural festival,” he said. Kukuh emphasised that the RRI Madiun cultural festival was realised with the support of various parties, especially artists and cultural practitioners. “RRI is merely a facilitator. We extend our deepest gratitude to all parties and sponsors who have helped make this event a success,” he said. The RRI Madiun Cultural Festival 2026 takes place over three days, from Friday to Sunday. The event showcases a number of cultural activities, including reog, karawitan, dance performances, wayang kulit, cultural dialogues, and concludes with a ruwatan ceremony. The festival is also enlivened by a heritage exhibition and a gemstone market.