The Local Market SCBD: A New Meeting Space for Local Creative Products
The SCBD Park area was recently enlivened by the communal workshop event, The Local Market. The ‘Pasar Wiwitan’ edition of The Local Market, a collaboration by Creative Event Entertainment (CEE) and supported by the Artha Graha Group and the Indonesian Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF), was held on 1 and 2 August 2026.
The Local Market is an offline marketplace conceived by KuKa (Aku Suka), featuring a curated selection of local brands encompassing food, beverages, fashion, and various other creative sectors. Each product on display is not mass-produced in cold factories, but rather emerges from the expertise, intuitive ideas, and dedication of local creators.
Titonius Karto, the founder of KuKa and the initiator of The Local Market, noted that the presence of the Pasar Wiwante edition at SCBD brings a new experience for visitors. He believes that the essence of a physical marketplace can never be fully replaced by the convenience of online shopping algorithms.
“The Local Market aims to be a space where people come not just to shop, but to experience,” said Tito during the opening ceremony at SCBD Park on Saturday (1/8/2026).
For Tito, the choice of the theme ‘wiwitan’ is based on the meaning of ‘new beginnings’. The theme encapsulates the hope for the smooth progression of The Local Market at SCBD as its new ‘home’. The Javanese philosophy of ‘wiwitan’—a tradition of thanksgiving before harvest as a symbol of a good start—is harmoniously blended with modern urban dynamics. Furthermore, there is an aspiration for The Local Market’s Pasar Wiwitan edition at SCBD to become a new destination in Jakarta, capable of inspiring similar movements across various parts of the city.
This open-market concept, which prioritises personal interaction, received warm appreciation from the government. The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, expressed hope that The Local Market could become a new weekend destination that reunites sellers and buyers, bringing back a sense of warmth that has begun to fade due to purely transactional digital communication.
In Irene’s view, shopping is not merely about exchanging money for goods, but about building stories, appreciation, and empathy towards the long production process. “This market began this morning at 07:00. If we think about it, we always wonder if there is a farmer’s market in Jakarta? Here, we can interact directly with the people behind the products,” said Irene.