Governance of Cultural Policy and Public Participation in the Era of Digital Bureaucratic Reform

This study aims to examine the dynamics of cultural policy governance and public participation within the context of digital bureaucratic reform in Indonesia. Digital transformation in the public sector has reshaped the relationship between the state and society, particularly in the formulation and implementation of cultural policies. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, this research explores the meanings, experiences, and practices of policy actors within digital governance spaces. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and policy document analysis conducted in Yogyakarta and Jakarta between August 2024 and January 2025. A total of 18 key informants were involved, including government officials, cultural activists, curators, and members of cultural communities. The findings reveal three central themes: the reconstruction of the meaning of public participation in digital spaces, the negotiation of roles between bureaucratic institutions and cultural communities, and structural and symbolic barriers arising from digital literacy disparities and hierarchical bureaucratic culture. These findings demonstrate that the digitalization of cultural policy is not merely a technological process but a complex social and cultural transformation. The study contributes to the advancement of the theoretical framework of digital cultural governance and offers practical recommendations for developing more inclusive and deliberative cultural policies in the digital era.