Bali Provincial Government together with the Fab City Foundation and Meaningful Design Group declared Bali as a “Fab Island” or digital fabrication island.
The announcement came following Bali Fab Fest, a global event that brings together creative industry players, including artists and craftsmen.
Selected artists are the ones who utilize technology in creating their work and digital fabrication activists at Jimbaran Hub since October 12, 2022. They next will toast in on the event for ten days until October 22, 2022.
“Bali is one of the islands in Indonesia with the highest potential for creative industries and tourism. In addition to that, Bali is also a meeting point for a range of cultures, knowledge, and people from various parts of the world. This is one of the reasons why we chose Bali as the location for Fab City activities this year, namely Bali Fab Fest,” said Tomas Diez, Executive Director of Fab Foundation and Founding Partner of Meaningful Design Group in a press release on Wednesday.
Putu Agung Prasanta, Steering Committee of Bali Fab Fest and Founding Partner of Meaningful Design Group, said that Bali is the first island in the world to be declared as Fab Island to join the global network.
More than 300 digital fabrication activists and creative industries from various countries were participating in the festival. They came from a variety of professional backgrounds, including designers, researchers, innovators, and artists and crafters.
Bali Fab Festival is part of the Fab City Network movement. Fab City Network pursues a global digital fabrication initiative running in 41 cities in the world. The organization has spawned and connected 2,500 fab labs (fabrication laboratories) that enable collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Fab City Network’s long-term mission is to bring regions capable of meeting almost all of their consumption needs locally and independently by 2054.
Bali Governor I Wayan Kester said he expected Bali Fab Festival 2022 to contribute to Bali’s development. He also mentioned supporting the Bali Smart Island Program. As part of the Bali Economic Transformation Program, it should be by the Bali Development Vision, “Mangun Sat Keerthi Loke Bali’ through the Pattern of Universe Development Planning Towards a New Era Bali,” he said.
He said the concept of Fab City which encourages the growth and development of a circular economy with the spirit that the region adapt to meet its own needs, by producing its products needed by the support of advanced technology, is very much in line with the vision of ‘Mangun Sat Keerthi Loke Bali’ and one of the principles in Trisect Karnow, namely being independent of small economy.
By declaring itself as Fab Island, Bali is part of a global network of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to empower Balinese people to the grassroots.
Wayan Kester added, “With Bali becoming Fab Island, the tourism sector that currently dominates Bali’s economy will be developed or empowered with a new type of tourism, namely tourism. technology-based or technology tourism. This technology-based tourism will collaborate with local communities to find solutions against the challenges faced through research, development, and production together.”
“Bali as a Fab Island will bring Bali’s economy more than just tourism. It will drive the future of Indonesia’s economy and tourism, which supports and provides opportunities for anyone, including local talent, to learn technology and share knowledge. Bali Fab Fest is a start that will show the direction towards the future of the local and national economy,” said Ilham Habibie, Steering Committee of Bali Fab Fest.
