Friday, 04 September 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - The spirit of independence is being expressed in Medan through creative works and community collaboration. The Indonesian Women Journalists Forum (FJPI), together with several art communities, has launched the Medan Merdeka Festival (FMM) as a meeting space for women journalists, artists, architects, students, and micro, small and medium enterprise (UMKM) players.
The festival is being held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Rumah Budaya Tangga by Tangga, on Jalan Letjen Suprapto in Medan. The event is themed around celebrating independence through journalism, art, creativity, education, and community initiatives.FJPI organized the festival in collaboration with Rumah Budaya Tangga, Unimed Visual Art, the Medan City Government Journalists Association (PWPM), Urban Sketchers, and a number of artists from Medan. The collaboration among various communities showcases a wide range of works while also giving the public an opportunity to experience the creative process firsthand.
FJPI Chairwoman Khairiah Lubis said the Medan Merdeka Festival is a way to celebrate independence by bringing journalistic and artistic works together."We want to celebrate independence by creating and presenting works by women journalists together with visual artists from the city of Medan," said Khairiah Lubis, chairwoman of FJPI.
The Medan Merdeka Festival features an exhibition running from August 29 to September 5, 2026. It showcases works from various fields and communities participating in the festival.
Journalistic works by women journalists are among the main highlights of the exhibition. Visitors can also view paintings, sketches, building models featuring motifs inspired by Medan landmarks, as well as woodcut prints produced by various art communities.The diversity of the works demonstrates how the spirit of independence can be reflected through different forms of expression. Journalists convey their thoughts through photography and written works, while artists express their ideas through painting, sketching, architecture, and graphic art.
The festival, however, is not focused solely on the works on display. The organizers have also prepared a range of activities that allow visitors to learn and interact directly with the artists.On Sunday, August 30, 2026, a journaling workshop will be held with Dinda Jouhana, a former journalist who now works as a writer. The event will give participants an opportunity to explore journaling as a form of personal expression and a creative process.
On the same day, the organizers will also hold a painting workshop focusing on the concept of art healing. Visual artists Onggal Sihite and Jimm Siahaan will serve as speakers at the workshop.Meanwhile, on the final day of the festival, September 5, 2026, Unimed Visual Art and Onggal Sihite will jointly conduct a woodcut printmaking workshop. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the techniques of graphic art and experience the creative process firsthand.
The UMKM bazaar will take place on August 29 and 30 and September 5, 2026. Visitors can find a variety of products, ranging from culinary offerings to handcrafted goods.
The participation of UMKM means the festival is not only a venue for appreciating art. It also provides local entrepreneurs with an opportunity to introduce their products directly to visitors.The collaboration among art communities, journalists, students, architects, and UMKM players also demonstrates the creative potential of the city of Medan. Each element contributes its own works and activities before coming together in a joint event centered on the spirit of togetherness.
The Medan Merdeka Festival is thus becoming a meeting space for diverse groups within society. Through exhibitions, workshops, and the UMKM bazaar, visitors can enjoy works of art, take part in creative activities, and at the same time support local UMKM products.Jimm Siahaan, chairman of the Medan Merdeka Festival organizing committee, called on the people of Medan to use the festival as a place to enjoy works of art, participate in creative activities, and support local UMKM.
"Especially to all residents of Medan: this exhibition is not merely meant to be viewed, but to be experienced together. We invite everyone, families, young people and children to come, enjoy the beauty of our artists' works, participate in the workshops, and support local UMKM products," said Jimm Siahaan, chairman of the organizing committee.In his view, public participation is an important element in establishing the festival as a space for interaction and exchange. Not only artists and journalists, but also the wider community can contribute by viewing the works, joining workshops, and supporting products offered by UMKM.
"Let us bring the Medan Merdeka Festival to life together – as a meeting place where we celebrate creativity while strengthening our pride in and love for the city of Medan," he said in closing.With a series of exhibitions, workshops, and an UMKM bazaar, the Medan Merdeka Festival brings the celebration of independence into a creative space that is closer to the community. The event brings together people from different professions and communities while opening greater opportunities for collaboration to advance art, journalism, education, and the creative economy in the city of Medan. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Sri Endang Lasmiaty | EDITOR:FIk Sagala
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