The decline in demand for clay roof tiles due to technological change, alongside increasing industrial investment from outside the region, has led many local tile industries in Majalengka, West Java, Indonesia, to cease operations, resulting in the loss of livelihoods and the erosion of social and cultural capital. In this context, Jatiwangi Art Factory (JaF), a grassroots community organization, has contributed to sustainable rural revitalization through clay-based cultural preservation and social innovation. This study adopts a qualitative approach, using key informant interviews and literature analysis to explore the role of cultural practices in social, economic, cultural, and environmental transformation at the local level. The findings indicate that JaF functions not only as an art community but also as a local development actor that facilitates knowledge transfer, strengthens social cohesion, and enhances environmental awareness through community discussion forums, community capacity building, collaboration with government, and community-based ecological initiatives. These practices contribute to regional identity formation (Terracotta City), collective ecological initiatives (Hutan Tanaraya), the emergence of women-led community collectives such as Mother Bank, and cross-sectoral collaboration in education. This study contributes to the rural development literature by demonstrating that cultural preservation can serve as an alternative pathway for community-based sustainable rural development in regions undergoing socio-economic transformation, and by highlighting the role of grassroots community organizations as intermediary actors in rural transformation processes.

Authors:
Easter Debora, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia

About the Presenter(s)
Easter Debora is a graduate student in Regional and Urban Planning at Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia. She is currently working on her master’s thesis on social issues affecting communities impacted by government policies.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/easter-debora/

See this presentation on the full schedule – On Demand Schedule

Bookmark