On 1 November, a French bassist ran a masterclass inside Fort Rotterdam in Makassar. It was the last day of Konferensi Musik Indonesia 2026, and France had come to listen, teach and trade contacts.

The twist is that the French team didn’t arrive to lecture anyone. The conference theme was “Gerak Seirama” (“Moving in Harmony”), and France joined as one voice among many.

Konferensi Musik Indonesia 2026 (KMI) is a national music forum started by Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture. It ran from 27 October to 1 November 2026 in Makassar, South Sulawesi, alongside Rock in Celebes 2026. The Embassy of France to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN, together with Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI), sent French music professionals to share skills in industry 

development, gender equality, artist representation and touring. The press release gives no ticket price, but two workshops on 1 November were open to the public.

At a glance

• 6 days of conference (27 October to 1 November 2026)
•  4 French music professionals in the delegation
•  2 public workshops at Fort Rotterdam on 1 November
•  4 Indonesian professionals the embassy has backed to attend MaMA in Paris since 2024

What is Konferensi Musik Indonesia 2026 about?

KMI brings together people from across Indonesia’s music world to plan a sovereign, inclusive and sustainable industry. The 2026 edition builds on the recommendations from KMI 2025. This year, the aim was to turn those ideas into real action, get national and regional players working together, and take Indonesian music further abroad.

Who did France send to Makassar?

Lola Frichet is the bassist of the French rock band Pogo Car Crash Control and the founder of More Women on Stage. In 2020, US magazine She Shreds named her Best Bassist in its #1RiffADay competition. Julia Ronget, also of More Women on Stage, works in concert and festival production, touring and technical management.

Emma Folio works with the teams behind Sakifo Musik Festival and Francofolies de La Réunion, and books artists for Sakifo Talents. Xiaodong Shen is a Paris-based founder of Mentha Project (Mentha & Partners), a touring agency for Asian artists. On 30 October he joined the panel “Where is Asia Music Industry Going Next.”

Carol Meyer, Cultural Attaché at the French Embassy  IFI, joined the 29 October panel “Support Models for the Music Industry.”

Why was gender equality on the agenda?

The session “Women in the Music Industry” featured Frichet and Ronget. Their group, More Women on Stage, pushes for more women on stage and behind the scenes. It does this through festivals, professional events and training programs.

What happened at Fort Rotterdam on 1 November?

Picture a bass line bouncing off old stone walls. That was the “Bass Masterclass” with Lola Frichet, a session on bass playing and musicianship.

The second workshop, “Concert and Tour Preparation” with Julia Ronget, covered what it takes to organise concerts and tours. Both sessions gave musicians and their teams skills they can use right away.

How do Indonesian musicians get to Paris?

The embassy has been sending Indonesian professionals to MaMA (Marché des Musiques Actuelles) Music & Convention, a music conference and showcase in Paris. Vincent Degoul, Deputy Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs, discussed this effort with Vice-Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha.

Here is the surprising part. Satria Ramadhan went to MaMA in 2024 with embassy support, and he is also a cofounder of AXEAN Festival in Bali. That is the same festival the French Ambassador named as a key meeting point for both countries. Kukuh Rizal (Sun Eater) and Donny Heru (Lalala Festival) followed in 2025, and Ferry Dermawan (Plainsong Live) in 2026.

“Our ambition is to build long-term partnerships based on trust and expertise that showcase the value of our cooperation.”  Fabien Penone, Ambassador of France to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN

The message is simple. Contacts made in a Makassar panel room or a Paris showcase can grow into real festivals, tours and bookings.