Southeast Asia Quarter 4, 2025: Ten Stories Driving the Region’s Creative Economy
This feature from the Music Press Asia Global Desk takes a panoramic look at the ten most significant stories shaping Southeast Asia’s creative economy in the past quarter — from festival revivals and new investments to cross-border collaborations and sustainable design movements. As the year draws to a close, these developments form the rhythm that will carry the region into 2026.
This feature from the Music Press Asia Global Desk takes a panoramic look at the ten most significant stories shaping Southeast Asia’s creative economy in the past quarter — from festival revivals and new investments to cross-border collaborations and sustainable design movements. As the year draws to a close, these developments form the rhythm that will carry the region into 2026.
By the Music Press Asia Global Desk
October 2025 has been a month of distinct acceleration across Southeast Asia’s music and creative industries. From Jakarta to Bangkok, Manila to Kuala Lumpur, a wave of renewed activity has carried the region’s artists, policymakers, and audiences into a fresh rhythm — one that blends post-pandemic recovery with bold ambitions for global integration.
After two years of fragmented recovery and cautious investment, the region’s cultural sectors are now entering a new phase of connected growth. Governments are beginning to link creative output with export and employment strategies, while festivals, independent labels, and streaming platforms reassert the region’s creative influence.
The creative economy has become more than a cultural conversation — it’s now a measure of Southeast Asia’s economic pulse.
RELATED NEWS: All That Matters 2025 launched, celebrates 20th Year in Singapore with key launches and themes considering topics in AI in music marketing, Southeast Asia as ‘the next IP frontier
Here are ten key stories that encapsulate how the region’s music and creative sectors have pivoted in recent months — and charts what lies ahead for November–December, as Southeast Asia positions itself for the 2026 horizon.
Festivals & Regional Platforms
Malaysia’s RIUH x ASEAN 2025
Malaysia’s government has stepped into the creative-economy spotlight. The RIUH x ASEAN 2025 creative showcase, scheduled for 17–26 October in Kuala Lumpur, will include the region’s first dedicated music-industry conference, FrequenSEA, set for 21–22 October, bringing together roughly 200 musicians, producers and industry executives. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the event “brings together art, creativity, music and entrepreneurship from Malaysia and fellow ASEAN nations” and is a manifestation of the ASEAN 2025 vision of unity, inclusivity and sustainability.
Singapore’s Sustainable Festival Pledge
In Singapore, the Sundown Festival has launched the region’s first “Music Climate Action Pledge” in partnership with the Bye Bye Plastic Foundation, committing festivals, venues and promoters to eliminate single-use plastics within 12 months. “Music connects us, and collective action is the solution. We believe the earth is our dance-floor, and there is no music on a dead planet,” said Stephanie Dickson of The Wedge Asia.
Thailand’s Regional Festival Infrastructure
According to Malay Mail, Thailand continues to build out festival infrastructure in line with its tourism-strategy agenda. Though many Thai festivals already operate internationally, the government is signalling further support for live-music venues as part of cultural tourism. An example is the Isan Creative Festival 2025 in Khon Kaen, which ran 28 June–6 July, and emphasised creative business opportunities in art, music, crafts and design.
Malaysia’s New Live-Event Venue
Malaysia has also made physical progress in live-event readiness: the launch of the Idea Live Arena in Petaling Jaya (capacity ~7,000) is expected to elevate the country’s ability to host large-scale concerts and festivals for regional markets. “This venue … has the potential to become a stage for international-scale concerts and exhibitions,” said Finas CEO Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib.
Business & Industry Developments
Malaysia’s Music Industry Funding Surge
Malaysia’s Communications Ministry, via MyCreative Ventures, allocated RM13 million this year to support its music-industry ecosystem through the Music Industry Creative Content Fund, international marketing grants and domestic promotion schemes. “To date, RM23 million … has been disbursed to 223 recipients … with the aim of strengthening the country’s music ecosystem,” noted Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Malaysia’s 2026 Budget & Creative Economy
The forthcoming Malaysian federal budget drew applause from live-event and music-tech sectors. LOL Asia CEO Rizal Kamal described it as “strong and forward looking… empowering local talent to create faster, better and more globally competitive work.” The budget allocates funds for music, digital creatives and concert incentives ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Malaysia’s National Music Day Proposal
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announced plans to propose a National Music Day to celebrate local artists and creative workers. The idea follows a music-industry study which identified gaps in legal framework and sector support. “I see the need for us to celebrate the talents and contributions of local musicians through a special observance such as National Music Day,” he said.
Culture & Sustainability
Sustainability Goes Mainstream in Live Music (Singapore)
The Sundown Festival’s climate pledge is not just a one-off: it speaks to a broader trend of live-music “culture meets climate.” Festivals and venues across the region are now factoring sustainability into production, supply-chains and artist-contracts — a shift from novelty to expectation.
Singapore continues to position itself as the creative hub of Asia, with government-led initiatives linking arts and AI. The country’s vision for a “Smart Culture City” is both futuristic and pragmatic.
Thailand’s Regional Creative Economy from Local Identity (Isan)
The Isan Creative Festival reframed regional identity through music, crafts, design and food culture — positioning local culture as a competitive asset rather than a marginal one. Its “ISAN SOUL PROUD” theme, 200+ activities and cross-industry business linkages point to how regional creative hubs are scaling beyond capital cities.
Creative Exports & Global Presence
Indonesia’s Creative Export Engine
Indonesia’s creative economy has surged: the sector contributed US$25 billion to national exports in 2024 and employed 26.5 million people, largely youth and women. Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya now targets US$28 billion by 2026 — with apps, fashion, culinary arts, music and animation among the top subsectors. Officials cite cross-sector collaboration as vital to turning creative output into global trade.
November – December 2025 Preview
The final quarter of 2025 promises to be even more eventful. In Thailand, the highly anticipated Creamfields Asia 2025 (Thailand edition) is expected to draw over 50,000 attenders in December — highlighting the region’s live-music rebound.
Malaysia’s Visit Malaysia Year 2026 preparations mean larger festival incentives and international artist bookings for November and December. Meanwhile, regional digital export benchmarks and AI-music initiatives will set the tone heading into 2026, with ASEAN-wide creative frameworks expected to be formalised early next year.
Southeast Asia’s music and creative ecosystem is no longer merely recovering — it is evolving. What began as patchwork revival has become concerted strategy: festivals are investments, music is trade, and culture is infrastructure.
Governments across the region are deploying policy, capital and infrastructure to inject scale into creativity. As we move into year-end and 2026, the key questions are: who will lead in global streaming, what live-music formats will emerge, and how will Southeast Asian identity map onto export ambitions?
One thing is clear: the region has turned up the volume. The next phase will be about turning tempo into staying power.
Image cover: Wonderfruit Festival, Thailand.
Edited by: Monica Tong & Ben Zulkifli
