Scoping Study on the Independent Cultural and Creative Sector in Egypt by The Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute

2017

Note: views expressed and conclusions drawn in the report and the annexes are solemnly those of the authors and the editor.

Scoping Study on the Independent Cultural and Creative Sector in Egypt: Film, Music, Theatre, and Urban Development and Heritage In Alexandria, Aswan, Mansoura, Minya and Port Said

By Dalia Dawoud, Dina Iskander with the support of Silvana George Edited by Mona Bur

Contents List of abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 Scope of the Study ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Chapter One ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Growth and Cultural Hegemony of Cairo within the Independent Sector: ....................................................... 4 Policy Framework, culture as economic opportunity, and the role of local, regional and international donors. .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 A. Policy Framework ...................................................................................................................................... 5 B. Cultural and Creative Industries as Economic Opportunity ...................................................................... 7 C. The Role of Local, Regional and International Donors .............................................................................. 7 Chapter Two ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Challenges, Strengths and Opportunities in the fields of Independent Film, Theatre, Music, Urban Development and Heritage ............................................................................................................................... 9 A. Film ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 B.

Theater ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Music ................................................................................................................................................... 15

D. Urban Development and Urban Heritage Conservation ..................................................................... 18 a.

Urban Development ........................................................................................................................ 18

Urban Heritage Conservation .......................................................................................................... 20

Chapter Three ................................................................................................................................................. 23 Overview of independent creative and cultural initiatives in five governorates: Alexandria, Aswan, Minya, Mansoura and Port Said .................................................................................................................................. 23 A. Alexandria ........................................................................................................................................... 23 B.

Aswan .................................................................................................................................................. 27

Mansoura ............................................................................................................................................ 30

D. Minya ................................................................................................................................................... 31 E.

Port Said .............................................................................................................................................. 34

Chapter Four ................................................................................................................................................... 37 Summary of Findings and Way Forward ......................................................................................................... 37 Annex A: Cairo Based Selected Profiles: 100Copies, Association for the Protection of the Environment, Noon for Creative Enterprises, Zawya Art House Cinema Annex B: Profiles of the interviewed artists, culture managers and entities in the five governorates Annex C: List of interviewed individuals and entities Annex D: Database

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List of abbreviations APE Association for the Protection of the Environment CAPMAS Central Agency for Mobilization and Statistics CLUSTER Cairo Lab for Urban Studies, Training and Environmental Research CKU Centre for Culture and Development D-CAF Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival DEDI The Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute GACP General Authority for Culture Palaces HIC Higher Institute of Cinema ISDF Informal Settlements Development Fund MoHUUD Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development MoURIS Ministry of Urban Renewal and Informal Settlements UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization VET Vocational Education and Training CCI Cultural and Creative Industries

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Introduction Cultural industries are industries dependent on content that is cultural in nature, be they goods or services such as crafts, printing and multimedia, for example. Creative industries, on the other hand, cover a broader range of activities, and may include cultural industries as well, as per the definition put forth by UNESCO. Creative industries are defined as industries in which, “The product or service contains a substantial element of artistic or creative endeavour and includes activities such as architecture and advertising.”1 The cultural and creative sector in the broadest sense is now a major component of economic development. The international trade of cultural and creative industries is one of the most dynamic sectors in the global economy. The 2013 UN Creative Economy Report states that, “The value of this trade was 424.4 billion USD (3.4% of total trade) in 2005, while this volume increased to 624 billion USD in 2011”.2 It is noteworthy to mention that between 2002 and 2008, the creative and cultural sectors in the Arab Mediterranean countries have grown significantly and at a faster rate than the rest of the economy. Artistic crafts and design together contributed to 97% of the total exports of cultural and creative products in the region.3 Although an increasing number of governments have recognized the importance of cultural and creative industries, and are developing the necessary policies on the local and national levels to support their growth; many remain reluctant to prioritize the creative sector. Creative industries rank low in terms of government expenditure in Egypt. Convincing policymakers of the need to invest in creative industries and to develop the relevant policies accordingly requires statistics and empirical data that support the economic relevance of such industries. Such data is key to providing policymakers with a clearer idea of the sector’s impact on employability, economic growth and competitiveness. This data can further illustrate the ways in which the State can create a more conducive environment that would allow creative and cultural industries to flourish.4 The independent arts and culture sector is often unrecognized by the State, and while this may create room to operate with a distance from a strictly regulated environment, it creates difficulty when making the case for the independent sector’s real contribution to the national economy. There are however, national entities such as the Ministry of Culture, the syndicates and the Supreme Council for Culture, amongst others, that are established to support and play an active role in the sector. Yet, they tend to be limited in terms of outreach and activity, and at times restrictive. The infrastructure is well established, yet in most cases neglected or inaccessible (these include cultural palaces, individually owned spaces such as cinemas and theatres, or exclusive private cinemas and theatres). This study finds that most factors contributing to the establishment and growth of creative industries in Egypt; and to the acknowledgment of their importance to the national economy, are not yet in place. A clear policy for the cultural sector in Egypt, for example, does not exist, furthermore the national budget allocated for arts and culture is not considerable. The study further finds that the current socio-political environment in Egypt is not comprehensively supportive to the growth of creative industries, particularly the independent sector.

UNESCO,“Understanding Creative Industries: Cultural statistics for public-policy making.”, 2006. Geneva and New York: United Nations, “The Creative Economy Report, 2013, Widening Local Development Pathways”, , 2013. Nizar Hariri and Grâce Kassis. MedCulture: Technical Unit of Med Culture Programme for the Promotion of Culture as a Vector for Human, Social And Economic Development in South Mediterranean Countries, “Thematic Study: Employability in the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Arab Mediterranean Countries: The cases of Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.”June 2016. http://www.medculture.eu/library/thematic-studies/employability-cultural-and-creative-sectors-arab-mediterranean-countries. 4 Nizar Hariri and Grâce Kassis. MedCulture: Technical Unit of Med Culture Programme for the Promotion of Culture as a Vector for Human, Social And Economic Development in South Mediterranean Countries, “Thematic Study: Employability in the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Arab Mediterranean Countries: The cases of Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.”June 2016. 2 3

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Scope of the Study This scoping study provides an overview of the independent arts and culture sector in Egypt, with a focus on the fields of film, theatre, music, and urban development and heritage. Through a qualitative analysis of these fields from an income-generation and sustainability perspective, this study aims to generate knowledge on cultural and creative industries in Egypt by mapping a series of creative and cultural initiatives in governorates beyond the capital Cairo, namely in Alexandria, Aswan, Mansoura, Minya and Port Said. The study relies heavily on fieldwork5, interviewing more than 70 individuals, entrepreneurs, artists and figures in the cultural sector, with their input contributing primarily to the overall analysis. This study complements other existing studies by adding much needed information on an often neglected dimension, namely that of initiatives operating on the periphery, working in various fields of the creative and cultural sector in Egypt. This study assesses needs and highlights elements of success in different business models and approaches. The first chapter discusses three main subjects: policy framework in Egypt, creative and cultural industries as economic opportunity, and the role of international and local donors. The second chapter presents an overview and qualitative analysis of the sectors of independent film, theatre, music, and urban development, as well as heritage. The third chapter maps creative and cultural initiatives in Alexandria, Aswan, Mansoura, Minya, and Port Said, presenting a general overview, notable aspects of business models, venues and spaces. The fourth and final chapter presents the authors’ conclusions and summary of findings. The study at hand, commissioned by the Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute (DEDI) and the Centre for Culture and Development (CKU),6 complements research initiatives undertaken by other stakeholders, including the British Council, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, UNIDO, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Drosos and CLUSTER. The objective of the scoping study is to provide CKU and DEDI with new research mapping the current economy, opportunities and potential for growth of creative industries in Egypt with attention to the role of youth in creative entrepreneurship following a review of existing studies, reports, available data and interviews with relevant stakeholders. As its point of departure, the scoping study assumes a knowledge gap concerning the role of youth in the cultural and creative sectors in Egypt, and seeks to generate a clearer understanding of how the creative sector in Egypt can benefit from the skills and talent of young cultural entrepreneurs to unleash the potential for growth, job creation and innovation - and in turn how creative and cultural entrepreneurship amongst youth can be promoted. A second assumption is an emerging spectrum of artists and cultural producers who believe in the autonomy and self-sufficiency of their work. In a field with varying definitions of ‘creative industries’, ‘cultural industries’ and ‘creative economy’, and where the terms have been employed differently in various reports and studies, this study adheres to the following definitions: Independent cultural and artistic sectors are typically led by small or medium-sized entities or individuals seeking quality and innovation, but with relatively low budgets. This term is particularly problematic in its definition, however, since it may encompass more established entities, whose institutional capacity and activity level is comparable to their counterparts in what is considered the mainstream sector. The independent sectors are often not recognized by the State, though they might cooperate with it at times. Often, this category attracts a specific kind of audience and produces art that could be challenging to the norm. Initiatives falling under this category are often dependent on donor funding. Nevertheless, there are cases within this category that implement business models to support their activities. In the music sector particularly, it is important to note that the dividing line between what is considered mainstream and 5

Desk review, fieldwork, interviews and analysis of information were conducted between April and October 2016. At the time of the report’s release, CKU has regretfully been closed.

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underground music, has nearly vanished. For the theatre sector, differentiation between independent and mainstream remains evident. Creative and culture industries. The term ‘industries’ entails that the relationship between the artist (creator) and audience (recipient) is measured and organized by regulations and market indicators. Architecture, publishing and literature, design, and digital creation may fall under this category. While mainstream or commercial sectors play the largest role in creative and culture industries, this study focuses on the independent arts sector in Egypt – which can hardly be considered an industry itself as per the afore-mentioned definition necessitating measurable relations between artists and audiences. Therefore, this study shall apply the term ‘sector’ rather than ‘industry’ in scoping the overall independent creative and cultural sectors.

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Chapter One Growth and Cultural Hegemony of Cairo within the Independent Sector: Policy framework, culture as economic opportunity, and the role of local, regional and international donors. Cairo and its population of 20 million inhabitants produce, host, and view arts and culture in myriad forms, genres and expression. In recent years, the independent creative and cultural sector has witnessed significant growth in the volume of works produced and in audience interest. This is particularly relevant to the music sector, but also to other sectors, meeting a growing general demand for change and appreciation for innovation and creativity. A significant enabler for the relative growth of the independent creative and cultural sector in Cairo is the existence of independent spaces utilised for artistic and cultural purposes. These include the theatre of the El Nahda Association for Scientific and Cultural Renaissance (Jesuits), the Greek Campus, Egyptian Centre for Culture and Arts (Makan), Darb 1718, Townhouse Gallery, Rawabet, El Geneina Theatre, Falaki Theatre, amongst numerous others. In addition, there is an upsurge of smaller venues that are also used for such purposes, including Studio Emad Eddin, 100 Copies, El Warsha, The Room and Art El Lewa. Alongside independent spaces, a major development in recent years is the use of public and alternative spaces for cultural and artistic purposes. These include El Korba festival, Historic Cairo Ramadan-related events, and the Citadel festival, which have been mostly supported by the Ministry of Culture. This phenomenon progressed further with festivals such as El Fann Midan in Abdin Palace square (discontinued), CirCairo, Spring Festival, Oshtoora Festival (across Egypt), and the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF) in various locations in Downtown Cairo, and with entities like Mahatat for Contemporary Art (Mahatat). The emergence of many of spaces and events could be attributed to the uprising of 2011. While a number of these initiatives have ceased, they have succeeded in fostering the notion of claiming public spaces for artistic and cultural purposes; and, more importantly have paved the way for such initiatives outside of Cairo. Stakeholders interviewed in Cairo and outside thereof agreed that the capital tends to be more restrictive in terms of security clearances and permits needed for the use of public spaces while kin relations in the governorates facilitate such process, which makes using public spaces for artistic or cultural purposes more feasible. Finally, the revival of already existing cultural and creative venues has also endorsed the independent sector in Egypt. The experience of Zawya Art House in leasing part of an old blockbuster, often unused, cinema is of importance in that regard. Despite the growing independent creative and cultural sector in Cairo, stakeholders interviewed, whether from the donor community or from the art sector, agreed on the difficulty of sustaining artistic initiatives in Egypt. Most of the independent art and cultural initiatives rely primarily on art, cultural or developmental donor funds (hereinafter referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;donorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;). This model works well for artists, cultural managers and individuals who master the English language, are well educated, have international exposure and whose work has received accolade from the donor community. Yet, for other less experienced artists, this model does not always work, especially considering the changing priorities of donors. Donors base their areas of focus entirely on their changing strategies and stakeholder input. These strategies take many factors into account, besides the actual needs on the ground, at times. This results in vulnerability and lack of sustainability of entities that are solely reliant on donor funds. Those entities often deliver valuable work that has significant impact on the society. Artists and cultural workers in the independent arts and culture sector may need to diversify their outlook and perceptions of the funding landscape, as well as research and identify donor strategies. Meeting points between donors and beneficiaries to clarify misconceptions about mutual roles and expectations, are advised.

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The researchers have encountered a few initiatives bearing aspects of sustainable models, generally adopting a hybrid-type business model that combines income-generating activities with more independent artwork. The researchers have given attention to 100Copies, Association for the Protection of the Environment (A.P.E), Noon for Creative Enterprise, and Zawya Art House Cinema outlining their profiles in annex format.

A. Policy Framework There is no unified cultural policy in Egypt. The cultural and creative sector is managed by a multitude of laws and regulations issued from different stakeholders relevant to the cultural scene. To date, there is no announced policy adopted by the State in this sector. Realizing the need for such a policy, in 2010, a national policy group convened to draft a “Proposal for a new national cultural policy that would develop the cultural working environment, empower civil society to play an effective role in cultural life, and revise laws and regulations that are restrictive of the freedoms of culture and the arts.”7 The 2011 uprising gave the group momentum; and, it managed to submit a proposal for a “general framework for Egyptian cultural policy” that was approved by the People’s Assembly in 2012, before it was dissolved (June 2012). According to Marwa Helmy, cultural manager and researcher in cultural policy, the proposal contained elements that the group deemed essential for a cultural policy. These included a specific allocation of funds for arts and culture that cannot be less than the UNESCO’s recommended minimum of 1%, as well as a clear mechanism for the evaluation of State-funded projects, engagement of civil society, decentralization of state’s investment, and effective coordination between the different ministries and stakeholders in the cultural and creative sector in Egypt. A 2015 Med-Culture study supported by the European Commission on employability in the cultural and creative sectors in Palestine, Egypt, Tunis and Morocco, estimated that the budget allocated to culture constitutes a maximum of 0.25% of the State’s budget in Egypt.8 This budget is particularly low, especially considering the fact that 60% of this budget is estimated to be spent on wages and salaries, according to the study. Furthermore, this figure scores very low when compared to UNESCO’s recommended 1%.9 Data on cultural spending is overly aggregated, as per the Med-Culture study. The cultural budget in Egypt is part of the budget-line “Recreation, Culture and Religious Affairs” in the state’s budget. It is therefore not possible to identify how much is actually spent on cultural activities alone; and to what extent, if any, the budget allocated supports the independent sector directly or indirectly. In that regard, it is worth noting that only artists recognized by the Ministry of Culture are allowed to utilize cultural palaces without needing to pay rent;10 unlike private or independent artists of theatre troupes.11 On the other hand, there are a few governmental or semi-governmental initiatives that support the independent arts and cultural sector. These initiatives, while effective, according to the researchers’ interviews, have a characteristically sporadic nature, rather than a strategic one.12 7

Website of Al Mawred Al Thaqafy / Culture Resource: bit.ly/2jjbzl8 Nizar Hariri and Grâce Kassis. MedCulture: Technical Unit of Med Culture Programme for the Promotion of Culture as a Vector for Human, Social And Economic Development in South Mediterranean Countries, “Thematic Study: Employability in the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Arab Mediterranean Countries: The cases of Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.” June 2016. 9 In 2011, the last date from which it is possible to trace the structure of expenditure in the budget of the Egyptian State the cultural budget amounted to USD 188.5 million, or 7.2% of the budget of "Recreation, Culture, and Religion" (which itself constitutes 3% of the total budget). This budget shows that the office of the Palace of Culture received the largest share of the national budget devoted to culture (23.7%) followed by the Central Administration for Cultural Development (with 13,9%) and by the National Culture Centre (Opera) and the Academy of Arts (9.4% and 8.6% respectively). It is noteworthy that the National Film Centre receives a marginal part of the budget (1.1%) [Kessab, Bensliman, 2013], as qouted in Nizar Hariri and Grâce Kassis. MedCulture: Technical Unit of Med Culture Programme for the Promotion of Culture as a Vector for Human, Social And Economic Development in South Mediterranean Countries, “Thematic Study: Employability in the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Arab Mediterranean Countries: The cases of Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.” June 2016.. 10 See theatre section in chapter two for more information on how artists are recognized by the Ministry of Culture. 8

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In its report on the developments of cultural policies in the Arab Region, Al Mawred Al Thaqafy reports on the Ministry of Culture’s “100 Nights Theatre Project” that gave a few young artists the opportunity to present their experiments at the Hanager Arts Centre. Other actors, besides the Ministry, play a role, as well, in offering support to the cultural and artistic scene in Egypt. According to Al Mawred Al Thaqafy’s report, an example is the scholarship offered by the Supreme Council of Culture in the areas of arts, literature and social sciences, during the fiscal year 2013-2014. The scholarship subsidized artists’ creative works and supported the organization of an exhibition, where all the scholarship recipients had a chance to present their creative works.13 Finally, semi-governmental bodies such as the Bank of Alexandria14 and the Industrial Modernization Centre15 have activities in their respective areas of focus that support independent arts and culture either directly or indirectly.

Researchers of this study observed that today, many decisions made in the cultural and creative sector are based on mandates that fulfil purposes other than the actual endorsement and promotion of arts and culture. Stakeholders include entities that are often more influential than the Ministry of Culture. Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Defence, Finance and the Supreme Council for Antiques are very involved in essential aspects of arts and culture in Egypt. 16 For example, in July 2016, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail held a meeting with relevant governmental stakeholders and decided to increase the film production budget, administered by the Ministry of Culture, from 20 million to 50 million Egyptian Pounds per year. According to the cabinet’s statement, Ismail sees the film industry as an important element of Egypt’s “soft power.” During the same meeting, the Minister of Planning, Ashraf El Arabi, announced that the National Investment Bank has allocated 150 million Egyptian Pounds in support of the creative industries in Egypt, part of which will be spent on “good quality movies”.17 While such an investment maybe conducive to the film industry in Egypt in terms of production and possibly training of artists and technicians, it most likely leaves out films produced in the independent sector. These films are likely to fall out of the definition of “soft power”. In that regard, arts and culture products that are deemed by the State as worthy of its’ support, fulfil predetermined political purposes. It follows that art genres that do not conform to what the status quo may consider appropriate – possibly such as mahraganat (a genre of shaabi/electronic music popularized at weddings) rap or metal music; or even theatre or films that challenge social norms – would naturally fall outside the cultural spectrum. Those genres, as per the opinion of artists from the independent scene, have the most potential for growth, especially given the audience’s perceived aspiration to all that is new and innovative, in particular after the 2011 uprising. 18 In the absence of State support, or recognition of such forms of arts, most innovations in the creative and cultural sector continue to emerge from the independent sector, which is vastly supported by foreign donors.19 While donors do support numerous initiatives, the creative and cultural sector cannot thrive without government intervention and support.20 It follows that there are missed opportunities when potential artistic and cultural endeavours do not obtain the necessary support. 13

European Cultural Foundation and Al Mawred Al Thaqafy, “Current Developments in Cultural Policies in the Arab Region: Summary Report.” June 2013. http://mawred.org/wordpress1/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Cultural-Policies-3rd-Report-Jan.-2013-to-June-30.-2013.pdf 14 Website of Bank of Alexandria: https://www.alexbank.com/En/ABOUTUS/Sustainability/OurEngagements 15 Creative Egypt. 16 Damien Helly, edited by Yudhishthir Raj Isa. Preparatory Action: Culture in EU’s External Relations. “Egypt Country Report.” March 2014. 17 Website of the Egyptian Cabinet(in Arabic) 18 Mahmoud Refaat, 100 Copies. 19 Damien Helly, edited by Yudhishthir Raj Isa. Preparatory Action: Culture in EU’s External Relations. “Egypt Country Report.” March 2014. 20 Basma El Husseiny and Ahmed El Attar.

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B. Cultural and Creative Industries as Economic Opportunity The Med-Culture report suggests “The international trade of cultural and creative industries is one of the most dynamic sectors in the global economy. Between 2000 and 2011, the international trade has more than doubled; and, between 2002 and 2011 the average annual growth was 8.7%”.21 In China public investment in culture has grown by 23% annually since 2007, and plans are to raise the sectors’ share of GDP from 2.5% to 5-6% by 2015.22 Similar data is not available for Egypt. This creates a difficulty in making a case for the economic importance of the sector, despite general impressions and perceptions within the field for its potential for growth. Cathy Costain, Head of Arts Programs at the British Council agrees. According to Costain, shortage of data and figures on the economic contribution made by the cultural and creative sector makes it difficult for advocates to make a case for the importance of investing in this sector. While some data exists, there is a need, as mentioned earlier, to segregate. Several stakeholders interviewed highlighted the importance of the link between training and employability, and the need to approach the creative sector as a potential for securing much needed jobs for youth. The Med-Culture report for instance, notes that cultural experts in Egypt pointed out the poor quality of vocational education and training (VET), stating that their education23 is not adapted to the market needs. This view was adopted by several of the artists met, especially in the theatre and film sectors. Interview subjects indicated that it was difficult to find well-trained technicians in the various fields.24 Adapting part of the VET to the sector’s needs will boost the industry itself in terms of technicians’ support; and help secure job opportunities. C. The Role of Local, Regional and International Donors Due to the State’s absence in the independent sectors, local, regional and international donors are particularly important stakeholders. The main funding mechanism the independent sector depends on is donors.25 Donors would primarily fund not-for-profit projects possibly undertaken by NGOs, for profit companies or independent artists. Most of the established artists interviewed affirmed that the donor community has played an important role in funding their work, supporting their training and in helping their exposure through participation in festivals and art forums globally.26 Yet, there are some concerns shared by many artists and art initiatives interviewed, and there was consensus that donors focus heavily on Cairo and to a lesser extend Alexandria, while the remainder of Egypt’s art and cultural sector lacks investment and support. Also, many of the artists interviewed raised concern over donors’ focus on particular artists, indicating that competition is often focused on networking, and not on the quality of work. According to one of the artists interviewed, donors should be more attentive as to why initiatives need the money, not how people write their proposals. In addition, there was an observation from the film sector that donors often presume certain problems in society, which dictates their funding calls. Finally, there is a clear coordination challenge among donors. For example, researchers have come across several mapping initiatives, undertaken or funded by different donors in parallel. Donors were often unaware of each other’s work; and in many cases, would not share findings with others. 21

Nizar Hariri and Grâce Kassis. MedCulture: Technical Unit of Med Culture Programme for the Promotion of Culture as a Vector for Human, Social And Economic Development in South Mediterranean Countries, “Thematic Study: Employability in the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Arab Mediterranean Countries: The cases of Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.”June 2016. 22 Damien Helly, edited by Yudhishthir Raj Isa. Preparatory Action: Culture in EU’s External Relations. “Egypt Country Report.” March 2014. 23 It is worth shedding light on the Culture Development Diploma administered by Cairo University, Faculty of Arts. For two years, students study 16 subjects focusing on culture management, legislation, culture policy, history of culture, among others. According to Sherif Maher, graduate of the diploma and currently a lecturer, the students are from all disciplines and all professional backgrounds representing the independent sector, main stream and public officials. 24 Refer to chapter two for further information. 25 These include embassies, the European Commission, the British Council, Goethe Institute, the French Culture centres, NGOs such as Drosos and RC, among others. 26 Laila Soliman, Mahmoud Refaat and Hassan El Gereitly.

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There are further types of local funding mechanisms including philanthropies, corporate sponsorships,27 partnership with the corporate and development sectors28 and recently, venture capitals. Rise Up, which supports young entrepreneurs, is developing expertise in this sector; and, has chosen â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cultural economyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to be one of its main themes for the 2016 Rise Up Summit, one of the leading entrepreneurship event in the Middle East and Africa. While this category of donors plays a smaller role in the sector, possible growth of the cultural sector is likely to depend on the advancement of their roles. Madad foundation29, a non-for-profit organization established and registered in 2012, presents a unique model for local donors. Madad is an Egyptian fund for culture that supports both individuals and organizations, with a special focus on culturally deprived areas. The fund relies on the financial contribution of its members. Each member of the foundation is expected to pay an annual contribution of EGP 5,000 and is expected to collect EGP 1,000 from three other people (a total of EGP 8,000 contribution per member). Applications of interest are submitted in response to an open call, and a committee comprising of the board members reviews and selects projects to be supported based on a unified criteria. Each selected application receives EGP 5,000 to implement a project over the period of six months; the number of supported projects is dependent on collected contributions. Upon its inception in 2012, contributions reached EGP 210,000.

See music section. See Annex A. 29 Myvel Seddik and Mohamed Khaled, former project coordinators of Madad.

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Chapter Two Challenges, Strengths and Opportunities in the fields of Independent Film, Theatre, Music, Urban Development and Heritage This chapter highlights key issues identified during interviews conducted with stakeholders and informants from varying professional backgrounds in the creative and cultural sector including cultural policy experts, producers, directors, festival organizers, and artists - all actively engaged in the independent film, theatre, music, urban development and heritage. Issues cited include challenges surrounding revenue generation, sustainability, funding sources, audiences, production/distribution challenges, and limitations of public and private venues. A crosscutting and recurring issue is the challenge of sustainability. A. Film The Egyptian film industry is considered the 1930-36 Small studios established and produced at least 44 feature films. most important in the Arab world. According to a 2009 World Bank study on creative industries 1936 Studio Misr, financed by industrialist Talaat Harb, in the MENA region, “More than 75% of the emerged as the leading Egyptian equivalent to Hollywood's major studios. 4000 short and feature films made in Arabicspeaking countries, since 1908, have been 1940s, 50s, Golden age of Egyptian Cinema. Egyptian. […] At its peak, the film industry of 60s Egypt produced some 60 to 70 feature films a 1966 Nationalization of Egyptian film industry. year. In 2006, however, the industry managed to produce locally only 23 feature films. […] (Films 1970s- 80s Rise of contractor movies & decline of Egyptian Cinema. are screened) in cinemas all around the big cities of Egypt, especially in Greater Cairo and 1990s Hidden death of Egyptian cinema. Alexandria. The frequency of attendance per Smaller films with good quality produced & capita is very low”. 30 attracted international attention. 2000s Rise of Egyptian film industry. Numerous factors are favourable to film Films combining high artistic quality, popular production in Egypt, including the potential for appeal, addressing controversial topics are export to other Arab countries and relatively produced. trained human resources and technology, 45 Figure 1: Time line of film industry in Egypt according to the World Bank study. Yet, other factors such as poor intellectual property rights enforcement and the deficient role of public policy puts Egypt in a weak position, when compared to film industries in other parts of the world.31 According to Bibliotheca Alexandrina, there is a need “to increase and train cadres to meet the requirements of the film industry,” given the “scarcity of training programs for nascent talents.” In addition, “Funding is a fundamental problem, along with the high costs of producing worthy movies; thus, we can address this problem either through providing bank loans by the cultural development fund for producers or engaging them in the production process, all of which are considered a crucial step to resolve this problem”.32 The case of Ein Shams, a landmark film directed by Ibrahim El Batout sheds light on the independent film33 industry in Egypt, within the framework of commercial and mainstream cinema screens in Egypt. According 30

World Bank. “Knowledge Intensive Industries: Four Case Studies of Creative Industries in Arab Countries”. 2009. http://www.academia.edu/735182/Knowledge_Intensive_Industries_Four_Case_Studies_of_Creative_Industries_in_Arab_Countries 31 World Bank. “Knowledge Intensive Industries: Four Case Studies of Creative Industries in Arab Countries”. 2009. http://www.academia.edu/735182/Knowledge_Intensive_Industries_Four_Case_Studies_of_Creative_Industries_in_Arab_Countries 32 Bibliotheca Alexandria. “Visions of a General Framework for Egypt’s Cultural Policy at the Closing Conference of the Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt Project.”. November 2015. 33 For the purpose of this study, independent films are defined as those produced mostly or completely outside major or commercial film studios, and production and distrubution companies systems. They are distinguished by content, style and the realized personal artisic vision of the filmmaker, mostly produced with a lower budget.

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to Emad Abou Ghazi, former Minister of Culture, the film was screened in Egyptian cinemas as a foreign film after having received numerous awards from international film festivals. It is worth noting that El Batout had not received the ministry approvals of the script prior to making the film. Similarly, Hend Bakr, founding partner of Rufy’s Studio in Alexandria, believes that the introduction of independent movies into mainstream cinemas was made possible after the success of Ein Shams. Screening independent films in cinemas exposes audiences to different art forms. According to stakeholders met, such a process is essential for the audience, as much as it is for filmmakers. Abou Ghazi sees that there is more room for creativity today than before, as it is easier to produce films with minimal regulatory interference and free of commercial market standards. Yet, this is challenged by many factors including conventional understandings of market forces. Basma El Husseiny, founder of Al Mawred Al Thaqafy (Culture Resource), a regional non-profit organization supporting creativity in the Arab region, sees that independent films focus on social causes, quality and content; not revenue. According to most stakeholders interviewed, the number of independent films and filmmakers in Egypt is on the rise. This includes short and feature films, as well as documentaries. Numerous films, for example Hala Lotfy’s Coming Forth by Day, Tamer El Said’s Last Days of the City and Nadine Salib’s documentary Om Ghayeb among others, have been recognized and awarded worldwide. Ayman El Amir, script-writing consultant and film producer, considers that one of the main challenges hindering the establishment and industrialization of the independent film scene is that the culutre of collaboration, information-sharing and transference of knowledge is very limited. Most producers produce their own work only. He compares Egypt with Iran; according to him, the boom of the independent film industry there is due to profound and rigourous learning, collaboration and sharing of knowledge. Venues34 that screen independent productions are very limited and are known to a few. Other than the Cairo, Alexandria and Tanta-based Zawaya35 and Cimatheque Alternative Film Centre, independent films are only screened in cultural Centres, small independent cultural spaces or at festivals. Film festivals also set a platform for screening local and international independent films. These include, among others, the Panorama for European Films, Women Film Festival, Ismailia International Film Festival, Shnit International Short Film Festival, Goethe Film Festival, and Festival des Rencontres de l’Images. The audience of art house films is relatively limited; some argue that the audience is not ready for such films, some relate that to restricted outreach. Others, however see that the volume of audiences is increasing; and that the background of audience members is diverse. Nadine Salib, film director, sees that being hosted by TV shows, whenever there is a chance, is a good marketing tool for any film and filmmaker. Since independent filmmakers are often criticized for addressing intellects only, some are starting to produce good quality films with topics and content that may appeal to audiences that are used to watching commercial films. These include producer Mohamad Hefzy, among others. Youssef El Shazly, director of Zawya, noted that the main challenge for Zawya is its accessibility to a diverse spectrum of society, knowing which film will attract which audience to generate income is therefore essential. Zawya, therefore, screens experimental, commercial and semi-commercial, local, regional and international films. There is no audience tracking for independent films outside of Cairo other than in a few governorates, such as Tanta and Alexandria, where Zawya was recently established. Prior to Zawya’s arrival, 34

In 1949 there were 244 cinemas, increased in 1954 to 360 cinemas, for up to 255 cinemas in 1966, but deterioration continued until it became 62 cinemas in 1992 Source: World Bank. “Knowledge Intensive Industries: Four Case Studies of Creative Industries in Arab Countries”. 2009. 35 Zawya Art House Cinema Zawya is the first art house cinema in Egypt. It was launched by Misr International Films in Cairo in March 2014. Later branches were established in Alexandria, Tanta and Minya. It a significant model that is primarily reliant on creative types of mutually beneficial partnerships. Zawya sub-rents a cinema from a major production company, for the purpose of screening independent films, and manages the cinema according to its own vision, dividing revenue with the landlord. Zawya, occasionally, screens in multiplex cinemas, such as Point 90 and City Stars.

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the screening of independent films and film night discussions were undertaken by cultural Centres and NGOs. Mark Lotfy, founder of Fig Leaf Studio in Alexandria, sees that independent film in Egypt has been too isolated from the general public, and that Zawya created a breakthrough in the relationship between filmmakers and audiences, a point of view also supported by Hend Bakr. Rufy’s founding partners had initially assumed that films they produced did not need to be accepted by all. This assumption began to shift with the realization that the studio ought to be better connected with general audiences. Lotfy believes that independent filmmakers need to engage with civil society and to forge stronger connections with the public. Independent filmmakers gain knowledge by studying at the Higher Institute of Cinema (HIC), or through organized workshops such as those organised by the Jesuits Culture Centre in Alexandria and Cairo, among others, or by studying abroad. Ayman El Amir, script-writing consultant and film producer, compares Egypt with Iran. According to him, the development and growth of an independent film industry is due to profound and rigourous learning, collaboration and sharing of knowledge- factors that he considers to be some of the main challenges hindering the advancement and industrialization of the independent film sector in Egypt. With regards to independent filmmaking workshops in Egypt, El Amir noted that their number is on the rise which is, according to him, a positive indicator of public interest in filmmaking. While the content is diverse, most of these workshops are only suitable for amateurs or as an introductory level, they are therefore not sufficient to empower and establish the filmmaking scene on a good foundation. They are limited in terms of duration and content; and do not offer the necessary diversification of artistic genres and new techniques. El Amir sees the urge for academic and in-depth studies in the Egyptian film sector. According to filmmaker Nadine Salib, the necessary equipment and skilled technicians36 required to produce films and documentaries are available in Cairo while El Amir, sees that the available equipment and studios are not enough and do not to secure the expected quality. He also sees that since there is no advanced education or opportunities to practice, the number of skilled and experienced technicians is very limited. Both agreed that even if equipment and technicians were available in Cairo, many filmmakers would travel to Europe for post production and color correction. Quality may be of a different standard in Europe, but costs are much higher. Since aesthetics and quality are essential criteria for independent films, the variation in cost is justified for them. Some independent filmmakers and production companies such as Hassala production, Zero Production, Fig Leaf, among others, own and sometimes rent and loan equipment. Technicians working with commercial filmmakers support the independent ones. On the other hand, Ahmed El Attar, director of Studio Emad Eddin and manager of the annual D-CAF festival, sees that quality and quantity of craftsmanship are in decline; he relates that to the decline of the film production since the 1970s. He notes that until recently, craftsmanship was family based; knowledge was therefore transmitted and finetuned through generations. This is no longer the case. El Attar also associated the decline of production to shortage in capital, cencorship, restrictive laws and minimal competition among filmmakers leading to the weakening of creativity. Production and distribution are essential to the success of a film. In-depth knowledge of both sectors is needed. El Amir sees that the capital turnover cycle of independent films is very slow. Unless the film director is known to the audience, the risk of the film not breaking even is very high. Abou Ghazi is concerned that the market is controlled by very few commercial production companies who are also in control of distribution. He noted that they control the supply and create the demand, which is not a sound practice. El Shazly agrees and adds that one of Zawya’s mandates is the creation of a cycle leading to the development of the market; hence, the establishment of the independent film as an industry. According to 36

The term ‘technicians’ hereby refers to handymen or craftsmen (women) involved in film making across all relevant specializations.

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El Shazly, the number of talented scriptwriters, editors, directors-of-photography, among others, is increasing as well as the number of films produced. Aida El-Kashef, filmmaker, actress and director, explains: “Film distribution has become extremely difficult because of this monopoly. Distributors have no incentive to distribute films they have not produced. Even if a filmmaker takes on the distribution of his or her own film, the cinema owner has no incentive to screen a film that he or she has neither produced nor distributed. And if the filmmaker is able to successfully convince one of them to distribute the film, the most unsuitable screening slots are offered.”37 According to film producer Hossam Elouan, the main challenge for the independent film industry is not the shortage of financial resources but rather the know how of film production. He argues that funds will be raised if a good project with a comparable standard for the international market is presented to regional funding entities such as SANAD Film Fund, Enjaaz, the Arab Fund for Art and Culture, among others. Elouan acknowledges the need to support and invest in educating producers and emerging production companies about film production tools and methods. According to Elouan, co-production38 agreements and treaties between countries, provide access to different markets. Films that are produced under these agreements have easier access to markets in both countries involved. He is alarmed that only one agreement is in full effect, that is the agreement between Egypt and France; while on the other hand South Africa carries 9 and Israel 35. According to El Amir and Salib, Film Clinic, the production company led by producer Mohamed Hefzy is perhaps the only local entity that can produce for both commercial and art house films, successfully. The Film Clinic understands the two sectors and the audience of each. Elouan confirms and explains that blockbuster film producers depend not only on their own investment but also on the investment of other individuals and entities. He explains that producers such as Mohamed Hefzy can estimate the selling point of their films, and that based on the selling point of the involved actors in the market, one can obtain an advance for distribution from interested investors who know that the revenue is guarenteed. This advance is then used during the production phase of the film. Most interview subjects agreed that a director is the one mainly responsible for fundraising, producing, managing the production and marketing his/her film. Others refer to a few emerging production companies, such as Hassala Productions and Fig Leaf, among others, for assistance. While these companies may have more knowledge about production, they do not have the necessary financial means to produce films independently. They therefore rely on funds from donors or on awards from festivals. Revenue generated from screenings of independent films in cinemas is minimal, according to independent filmmakers. While the production cost of such films (feature, short and documentary) is not high, relative to commercial films, filmmakers are struggling to guarentee the necessary budget for producing their films with the esteemed quality. Many tend to produce short films or documentaries because they are less costly. Documentaries for instance, do not require a cast or a setting for filming. The main sources of funding are donors, festival awards, tickets, sales of the film to satellite channels or to airlines. Funding sources include governmental, corporate and donors. Funds directed towards the production of feature films, in particular, and other genres are not only limited but also in decline. Corporate support to the sector is minimal. El Husseiny argues that the independent film industry cannot be self-sustainable without government subsidies. El Husseiny also referred to available funds for film production at local 37

Aida El-Kashef, “Legally or illegally? How to make a film in Egypt”, Mada Masr, Sunday, April 19, 2015 According to the 1996 survey of Canadian international and domestic joint ventures; co-production offers: The ability to pool financial resources; access to the partner government's incentives and subsidies; access to the partner's market, or to a third market; access to a particular project initiated by the partner; access to a desired location; or to cheaper inputs; cultural benefits; and the opportunity to learn from the partner. Wikipedia, Hoskins, Colin, Stuart McFadyen, and Adam Finn. “A Comparison of Domestic and International Joint Ventures in Television Program and Feature Film Production.” Canadian Journal of Communication 21(1). 1996. bit.ly/2iH6UKZ 38

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banks. Matteo Valli, former director of Ricera e Cooperazione, noted that international donors supporting film production were not applying the same criteria and specification of artistic quality to local productions as those applied to other nationalities. Valli confirms that this is changing because the quality and volume of films are on the rise. Salib sees the budget cuts of some donor organizations such as SANAD, and the closure of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival (that had previously offered financial awards), as affecting the independent film sector in the Arab region. The Ministry of Culture supports film production through funds associated with competions or open calls. These are either administered by the ministry itself or by national festivals. El Amir adds that the annual government fund is handed very late. Salib adds that it is not always announced and the entire process tends to be unclear, which makes producers reluctant to depend on it. The film sector is subject to censorship from several authorities. There were efforts to improve the conditions and process of censorship, according to former minister Abou Ghazi, however producers stood against this reform. This was driven by the concern that screenings would be cancelled after completion of the production without obtaining prior approvals on the script, as suggested. If a script is not approved or if an individual files a case against a particular film, screening of that film would be banned. For an independent filmmaker, especially if non-syndicated39, to obtain the necessary approvals to produce a film, the legal process is complex and at times impossible to undertake. El-Kashef explains that many films are produced clandestinely unless obliged to shoot in State-controlled locations. The script is often adjusted to avoid challenges with legal authorities. El-Kashef indicates40 that, “The real dilemma […] is the difficulties encountered when attempting to distribute a film in Egyptian cinemas […] one is faced with demands for unattainable permits for both production and screening. So the dream of screening low-budget or independent movies in Egyptian cinemas remains distant for directors such as myself, those who have chosen to work outside the framework of the popular consumer markets, with or without permits.” 41 B. Theatre There is a consensus that the traditional theatre sector is suffering in Egypt today. According to the 2015 Bibliotheca Alexandrina study, “Although the census of Egypt’s population reaches eighty million, the number of theatre visitors does not exceed two hundred thousand, amounting to 0.25% of the Egyptian population”.42 The same report characterizes the theatre sector in Egypt to be in crisis. According to El Attar, this is partly due to the global decrease in number of theatre audiences, vastly attributed to new media, television and enhanced communication technology. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina study further states, “With the exception of some plays held in national and independent theatres, there is no real integrated theatrical movement that comprises all elements of the theatre: the script, production, and audience; and thus limited its impact.”43 It is noteworthy to mention that the independent theatre sector is considered the main point of strength for the entire sector, as per the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Yet, independent theatre alone cannot push the sector. The commercial and the independent sectors are mutually reinforcing. 39

The syndicate’s internal charter stipulates that non-members obtain a temporary permit from the syndicate every time they make a film. The syndicate retains the right to refuse such permits. If approved, the artist pays 20% of the fee obtained from working on the project in question to the syndicate. [..] The easiest way to get Cinema Syndicate membership is to join the High Institute of Cinema. […] Either that, or you have the financial ability to enrol in the new parallel education system in the same institute, for which students pay annual fees of around EGP 24,000. Source: Aida El-Kashef, “Legally or illegally? How to make a film in Egypt”, Mada Masr, Sunday, April 19, 2015. 40 Aida El-Kashef, “Legally or illegally? How to make a film in Egypt”, Mada Masr, Sunday, April 19, 2015 41 The choice of completing production without taking the necessary approvals referred to in the article as “the illegal path.” 42 “Bibliotheca Alexandria. “Visions of a General Framework for Egypt’s Cultural Policy at the Closing Conference of the Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt Project.”. November 2015. bit.ly/2jTl35x 43 Bibliotheca Alexandria. “Visions of a General Framework for Egypt’s Cultural Policy at the Closing Conference of the Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt Project.”. November 2015. bit.ly/2jTl35x

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The General Authority for Culture Palaces (GACP), which owns at least one culture palace in each governorate, manages the largest portion of venues available for theatre in Egypt. Cultural palaces are State-owned buildings, some historically significant, designated as sites for cultural activities. The GACP oversees theatre clubs44 for amateur groups, cultural houses, cultural palaces, national theatre where national groups perform, and the Ter7al theatre, where villagers lead traveling theatre troupes. The GACP follows the Ministry of Culture. Independent directors are in principle eligible to rent theatre spaces of the GACP.45 According to theatre directors working in different governorates, the process is opaque and depends very much on the personnel working at the different palaces; they have the discretion to either facilitate or complicate processes. Laila Soliman, an internationally recognized theatre director, indicates that the few times she performed at cultural palaces; she was required to submit script and videos of rehearsals for approval by the syndicate and relevant authorities. Nada Sabet, founder and manager of Noon for Creative Enterprises, undertakes regular performances at cultural palaces in different governorates. She is not responsible for the logistics and paperwork herself, but the NGOs or local communities she works with normally take on these duties.. According to Sabet, processes are generally easy because in the governorates kin relations are much stronger. Soliman agrees, in her experience, working in the governorates tends to be easier than in the capital. According to El Medina theatre troupe of Alexandria, culture palaces are nearly unutilized. There is a budget allocated by the State for theatre and street theatre, yet only 5% is actually paid towards theatre productions, according to the troupe. When the Ministry of Culture provided incentives for the production of street theatre, the budget of EGP 1,500 proved limited for many, and eventually discontinued. El Attar, on the other hand, estimates that only 40% of the cultural palaces are functional. An issue shared by all stakeholders interviewed, is the need for independent venues that could be used for theatre performances – this is particularly true for the governorates. According to Sabet, donors should consider alternative models to invest in such infrastructure. For the long-term benefit of the sector, one possibility donors can consider is a pool fund for infrastructure. Heba El Sheikh, co-founder of Mahatat – a Cairo-based social and cultural initiative that transforms pubic spaces through art practices, and supports artists, entrepreneurs, and practitioners through exposure and learning opportunities – suggests investing in multi-purpose or co-working spaces. Given the limited access to State-owned venues, donors and independent cultural institutions therefore play a key role in making their venues accessible to independent troupes. This makes their decision-making power pivotal to the sector. On the one hand, these venues make it possible for artists to work and gain exposure that otherwise artists could not access. On the other hand, the fact that entities such as Goethe Institute, Institut Français d'Egypte, Alliance Française or Jesuits do not charge audiences a ticket-fee fosters the idea that arts and culture are free and accessible to all, creating a challenge for the sustainability of the sector. Hassan el Gereitly, founder of El Warsha theatre troupe, is considered a leading figure of the independent theatre sector in Egypt. Despite his international networks, and access to funding and festivals, El Gereitly is 44

According to Ahmed Faris, theatre director, Mansoura: Theatre Clubs offer opportunity for anyone who would like to try themselves in theatre as directors. Candidates fill in applications and get tested by a committee of judges. Once a candidate passes, s/he will get a grant of 1,500 EGP to start putting together a theatre piece, which is shown during competitions of theatre clubs. Winners of those competitions obtain recognition as theatre directors by the General Authority. Recognized directors participate in the regional competitions of theatre houses (the next level after theatre 44 clubs). Each time the director passes a level; s/he is eligible for the competition of the level that follows. Recognized directors are assigned to cultural houses somewhere in Egypt, where they are required to undertake one theatre performance per year. Such theatre performance is paid (2,000 EGP). The theatre piece or the director thereof needs to get a certain grade to be allowed to stage his/her performance at the higher level (culture palaces). Otherwise, they get assigned to another theatre house (of the same level). 45 Ahmed Faris, theatre director, Mansoura; and Mohamed Eissa, a theatre director and scriptwriter, certified by the Ministry of Culture, Port Said. May 2016

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struggling to sustain his work. It comes as no surprise then, that younger artists, trying to pave their way in the theatre sector in the governorates find it hard to continue. Troupes interviewed in Minya and Port Said were particularly inspirational in their efforts to self-learn, self-fund and creatively develop means to economize. Yet, they cannot foresee a way to sustain their efforts, as they lack the skills necessary to communicate with donors and to develop income generating business models. In Minya, Jesuits has recently taken up the role of the supporter and incubator of newly graduated groups; this is according to Bishoy Gamal, theatre director and Lamsa theatre troupe manager. Mahatat, while smaller than the Jesuits, plays a similar role in Port Said, in addition to at least three other governorates. Groups interviewed in Port Said were highly appreciative of the support Mahatat lent them in terms of workshops and exposure. Yet, the mandate and the size of both Jesuits and Mahatat would not allow them to directly fund these troupes and support their sustainable professional and institutional growth. There is little corporate interest in independent theatre; however D-CAF has attracted corporate attention, which could have a positive impact on the sector. The Ministry of Culture, is limited to the GACP, and would not cooperate with nor support the independent scene. Al Attar perceives that unless the State plays a role, there is very little chance for the theatre sector (both commercial and independent) to grow. Donors therefore play the biggest role in the independent theatre scene. Many artists indicated the need for more in-depth and longer term education and exposure to different genres, techniques and to new schools. Trainings provided by the above mentioned entities are often heavily subsidized. This makes learning accessible to both amateurs and professionals, but it also fosters the idea that investing in arts education is not a priority. El Sheikh indicates that participants in Damietta (which has nearly 100% employment rate and is rated as one of the richest governorates in Egypt) believed that 200 EGP (approximately 11 USD) for a 6-day training was too expensive. Many artists and groups were sceptical of the concept of cultural managers. Individuals working in the arts sector generally have tight budgets, and it is challenging to entrust another with managing one’s own, often life-project. Bassem Wadie’, a singer, performing artist and former member of Gereitly’s El Warsha, agrees. Sabet, founder of Noon for Creative Enterprises, believes that one needs to develop different ideas such as the sharing of certain personnel for example accountants, lawyers, and fundraisers. Prior to Sabet developing Noon, she met with many individuals from the arts sector, learnt about how they managed their businesses and how they generated income. This helped her decide against acquiring a venue for Noon’s performances, as she realized that she prefers remaining limited in terms of staff and overheads. It is typically assumed that the bigger the audience, the more possibility for increased income. While this may hold true for CCIs (Cultural and Creative Industries), of commercial scale, there are other variables that need consideration in the independent sector. Although almost all informants agreed that there are large audiences in all parts of Egypt that are thirsty for arts and culture, the definition of audience remains problematic. Some informants were critical of the artists themselves. According to Salam Yousry, founder of Al Tamy theatre troupe and the Choir Project, artists should be committed to their very own type of art; and realize that the specificity of their arts will naturally attract a specific type of audience. Sabet, as well as Gamal from Lamsa, assert that audiences in the governorates and in the villages are also keen on the arts and would facilitate any such endeavour. El Sheikh sees that a theatre ecosystem still needs to be developed; there is no infrastructure in governorates, according to her. C. Music Independent music production in Egypt has significantly developed over the past years, in terms of innovation as well as audience reception and interest. The distinctive line between mainstream and

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underground music has near vanished;46 and forms of musical expression that were previously considered underground, have made a breakthrough in terms of popularity and audience outreach. However, tensions exist between the independent and commercial music sector. The Egyptian Syndicate of Musical Professions does not recognize musicians that do not carry a syndicate card (at times interrupting performances to request a fee). According to Mahmoud Refaat, founder of Cairo-based 100 Copies Music Space and Recording Label, in order for the music sector to grow, independent artists need to be recognized by the State. Once they are recognized, there is no limit to their growth, according to Refaat. Music is relatively affordable to produce, is accessible online and measurable in terms of reactions (online). Valli sees that mahraganat is a great example of how music has provided access for individuals to tell their own stories through song; often stories of marginalized communities. Yet, today, according to the Oshtoora team who organize an annual music and art festival, the general frustration and the restricted political atmosphere is reflected on the music scene. Oral lore and traditional songs are also being documented and preserved by several organizations. These efforts surpass the stage of documentation by presenting these forms of art in their traditional form; and in new forms, to a wider audience. Makan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Egyptian Centre for Culture and Arts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example, is documenting and archiving various musical traditions and instruments throughout Egypt. Makan also hosts performances for various artists and troupes in addition to creating the space for collaboration among traditional and international artists. Another example is that of El Mastaba Centre for Egyptian Folk Music, carrying a similar mandate to Makan, with more focus on the traditional music of the Suez Canal area. Both manage spaces in the vicinity of Downtown Cairo, where performances take place, but which can only accommodate a limited size of audience. Similar initiatives are active in other governorates. In Nuba, Aswan, Hekayet El Fan El Nuby aims to preserve Nubian heritage through reviving the culture of informal gatherings, whereby traditional music, song and dance are performed. Also, Toratheya in Port Said is reviving El Wansa, a traditional music evening where audiences gather to listen to Port Saidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local semsemia instrument (a plucked lyre used in Egypt, Jordan and Yemen). Venues where major, large-scale concerts can be held are very few; and have been in decline over the past years, according to Valli and others. Iconic State-run theatres and numerous culture palaces are not functional. The number of independent spaces hosting smaller concerts is on the rise in almost all governorates. The shortage of venues is, to a great extent, related to difficulties musicians encounter regarding self-sustainability. There are higher numbers of audiences than spaces available to accommodate. Use of public spaces as performance venues can be enhanced via the collaboration of the appropriate stakeholders. This is another role that donors may be in a position to adopt. The experience of Noon for Creative Enterprise (in different governorates), Oxygen in Mansoura, Oshtoora in different venues, Agora in Alexandria, We Have Fann in Port Said, and Mahatat, are clear examples of the potential in public spaces that needs to be tapped into. Governorates are limited in venues, equipment and entities that are capable of organizing music festivals and concerts efficiently. In the past, 100 Copies managed to arrange festivals in Assiyut, Minya, Alexandria and Mansoura. Some performances took place because 100 Copies received invitations to put them on in venues such as the stadium of Mansoura and a church in Minya. If donors are keen to support musicians from the governorates, they must primarily ensure that people from the governorates have constant access to music, festivals and concerts, according to Refaat. Audiences need to be exposed by being part of the organization of such events. There needs to be a certain level of accumulation and exposure to different types of arts and music in order for talent to advance. Performances and public shows are the main sources of income for bands. However, the few existing venues pay very little, which, when divided amongst band members is near insignificant. While some 46

Mahmoud Refaat and Abdallah El Deif.

Scoping Study on the Independent Cultural and Creative Sector in Egypt I 16

venues pay a flat fee per performance, others take a percentage. According to Ahmed Rock, one of the four founders of Revolutionary Records in Alexandria, low payment is a recurring problem, as has been mentioned by other artists. For an emerging band that is based in Alexandria, such as Revolution Records, profits generated from a concert can at times barely cover transportation costs. This could be one of the reasons why bands wanting to grow need to move to Cairo to have better access at less cost. Of the artists interviewed, those who managed to depend on music for a living have always been creative in adding an income-generating element to their work. Amr Medhat, musician and founder of Distortion Studio Mansoura, is supporting himself through renting out studio space to bands and musicians for rehearsal and recording purposes, in addition to performing his own music. Revolution Records is following the same model. Oshtoora47 lends itself a larger role beyond producing a festival that provides a platform for music, film screenings, visual arts, and performing arts from Egypt and the region, across multiple genres. It promotes the local in all its forms: local vendors, local restaurants, among others. It has a mission to connect with the local community, wherever the festival was held, and explores possibilities of generating income for the community, either by promoting the area as a tourist attraction, or engaging it with the festival.48 According to May Ossama and Mayar El Tohamy, who organize and self-finance We Have Fann49, a performing arts street festival in Port Said, audiences are willing to pay for arts and music, but because they rely on artists and equipment from Cairo, it is very difficult to break even. This thought was also shared by Ibrahim Guindy who recently joined Mohamed Ghali in Toratheya, a cultural space in Port Said. He indicated that, for example, a concert for Masar Egbari, which would cost between EGP 60 and EGP 80 per ticket, had failed to break even. Only 700 people attended instead of the anticipated 1,500. The corporate sector, who could be interested in supporting such events, is reluctant to invest in the governorates given the limited media attention they receive, according to We Have Fann. Investing in creating synergies with the private sector could be an important area of work for the organizers of such events. A positive example of partnership with the corporate sector is the production of songs that are used for marketing purposes. For instance, singer Abo Wel Shabab produced a video-clip for his song Ahwak on Marasi beach, supported by Emaar Misr Real Estate Company. Other artists have produced nationalistic songs, in partnership with large corporate companies such MobiNil/Orange that the latter used for marketing purposes. While those models may not work for all artists and art types, elements thereof are useful to build on. Salam Yousry, founder and manager of the Egypt chapter of the Choir Project (on a volunteer basis), believes that independent art should adjust to its own resources; including those resources it could obtain from its very own audience, in order to remain independent. The Choir Project is solely reliant on volunteering efforts of members who come together for the workshops to develop new songs and rehearse for performances, nation-wide. It is essentially low cost, does not seek grants and adjusts its expenses to the little income it generates from the tickets. Seeking mainstream audience to cover one’s cost may ultimately ruin the essential edge that independent art presents, according to Yousry. While artists who would like to make a living from their work cannot replicate this model, the focus on a particular audience group in the case of the Choir Project is an element of success that other entities could benefit from. 47

Oshtoora has an interesting business model, whereby an investor has put a start-up capital, which s/he would regain. It has three full-time employees. Oshtoora generates income primarily from tickets. Oshtoora’s philosophy is that people need to pay for the art; and, artists need to be paid fairly. Having donors’ support the festival is a last resort according to Oshtoora’s philosophy because art should stay independent. It also generates income through corporate or private commissions, in parallel to its own festival. 48 At the time of the release of the study, Oshtoora declared the cessation of its activities. 49 The festival is self-funded by the organizers.

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D. Urban Development and Urban Heritage Conservation a. Urban Development Density, mobility, mix-use, infrastructure, public space, gentrification and policy, are key terms in the discussion of urban and rural development and planning. Most interview subjects agreed that in many cases there is a gap between executive bodies and policymakers on the one hand, and communities on the other hand. Policymakers are often criticized for not acknowledging citizens and communities as main beneficiaries. Policies and practices tend to disregard cultural and socio-economic factors, according to experts interviewed by the researchers of this study. Conflicting interests occur between public interest considerations, particular community needs, and private sector benefits. Independent initiatives have emerged in recent years, with the aim of bridging gaps and strengthening the representation of communities, taking a social justice dimension in their endeavour.50 Initiatives adopt different approaches and models; including monitoring and documentation, lobby and advocacy, pressure groups with local focus and initiatives, offering alternatives and technical consultation. Recently emerged independent initiatives (nation-wide) focusing on monitoring and documentation51 include 10 Tooba, and CLUSTER - Cairo Lab for Urban Studies, Training and Environmental Research. These initiatives document urban heritage, creating an urban archive per se, as well as monitor and analyse policies, laws, and practices using research. They detect and document violations or good practices, as well as opportunities, and monitor changes in the vernacular, in trends or in socio-economic needs by conducting mapping exercises. In addition, both initiatives suggest alternative and realistic solutions to identified urban challenges. Initiatives that adopt lobby and advocacy techniques work with decision makers and local administrators to enhance urban policies, shed light on laws that should be modified; and, discuss issues that should be addressed in new laws. They advocate for various causes and support citizens to demand their rights by empowering them with information and helping them identify solutions to their problems, using a participatory approach. These initiatives include Tadamun (The Cairo Urban Solidarity Initiative) and Habi Centre for Environmental Rights. Tadamun works with policy makers and administrators to enhance policies and redirect attention to use public resources as needed. Tadamun also encourages city inhabitants to demand their urban and environmental rights; that, in addition to disseminating knowledge and lessons learned. Habi Centre for Environmental Rights contributes to the activation of environmental legislation and to deepening the understanding of environmental legislation by working with civil society. Some initiatives focus on urban upgrade, aiming to ensure that the government adopts urban solutions proposed by civil society. They work in many cases in conjunction with citizens in order to find urban solutions, attempting to forge links between research and implementation using multidisciplinary discourses. Such initiatives include, for example, Takween Integrated Community Development, that works on upgrading the built environment by adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. Megawra Built Environment Collective â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an architectural hub for young students and architects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; works with the public and the government. UN Habitatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shawre3na project attempts to assign lanes for bicycles in Giza Governorate. In addition, there are other alternative initiatives that work on identifying and implementing alternative solutions for existing urban challenges by mapping and researching for specific causes like mobility, 50

Concluded from discussions regarding the scope of work and history of entities met. Monitoring and documentation herby refers to entities and initiatives operating as observatories and as researchers.

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transportation, accessibility, etc. These include: Bicycle Coalition that maps Cairo roads in terms of their â&#x20AC;&#x153;bicyclabilityâ&#x20AC;?; Transport for Cairo maps bus routes; 3ein Bicycles, which designs and manufactures local bicycles with unique designs; and ICT for Development, which works in collaboration with an NGO from Zaqaziq developing a mobile application, including a map of the city that highlights accessible roads for the disabled, as well as, the needs for ramps; in addition, it mobilizes sponsors to intervene. Many of the above stated initiatives do not limit their efforts to one approach or focus. Many of them have ceased operation over time after encountering various challenges related to security or to financial sustainability, or due to the completion of set goals. It is important to highlight the role of UN agencies and foreign aid organizations, such as Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂźr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Such entities work in collaboration with the government as advisors and as implementers of projects related to improving the urban strategy and infrastructure. Their scope of work also covers the support they give to the work undertaken by the abovementioned initiatives. In addition, relevant universities, such as Faculties of Engineering and Planning, play an active role in research and experimentation across various domains. These work independently, in collaboration with the independent initiatives as well as the government. Unlike the model adopted in other countries whereby a ministry of planning oversees urban strategy and policy development and implementation, in coordination with various relevant ministries and entities; the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development (MoHUUD) is responsible for more than 50% of construction and urban planning in Egypt. Relevant authorities and government entities such as the General Agency for Urban Planning, established in 1973,52 and the Informal Settlements Development Fund (ISDF), established in 2008, fall under the supervision of MoHUUD. Other involved stakeholders include the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Antiquities, National Organization for Urban Harmony, the governorates and the municipalities. The transformation of ISDF into the Ministry of Urban Renewal and Informal Settlements (MoURIS), even if not fully in charge of urban planning, was considered a positive step towards enhancing government strategies and policies comprehensively; and, towards giving the lead to a relevant entity that could be the liaison between relevant ministries, entities and independent initiatives. MoURIS also supports and works with civil society and relies on its expertise in developing its strategy. Today, however, the Ministry was dissolved and ISDF returned to its original status. The fact that many stakeholders are involved in decision-making or implementation processes, in terms of providing guidelines or approvals, creates a challenge. Limited technical capacities, expertise, knowledge and exposure of administrators especially on the level of the municipalities are another set of fundamental challenges, inhibiting the identification of and accomplishment of urban solutions. The support and approval of any ministry or governorate for adopting, supporting or implementing any proposed initiative by local and international organizations is related; in some cases, to the interests and awareness of the person in charge. Yet, since the decisions to support such projects are not necessarily included in the strategy or because there is no functional institutional memory, some of these projects do not develop with the change of government officials.53 Community empowerment, involvement and ownership are vital in sustaining and maintaining development-related endeavours. The general trend, however, according to experts interviewed, is the exclusion of the community and therefore, often, its basic needs, from the process of urban planning and

www.tadamun.info For example, UN Habitat worked thoroughly with a previous governor of Giza on assigning a lane in Gamat el Dowal Street for bicycles (Shaware3na project). The governor was in favour of the project. For over a year, studies were made in order to prepare for implementation. Once the governor changed, UN Habitat was requested to reintroduce and re-discuss the project. The project was cancelled because the processes of acquiring official support and conducting necessary research was very long, and because it is not a priority at this stage. 53

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development. In other cases, the national strategy is directed towards gentrification rather than uplifting and improving while preserving the social, architectural and economic fabrics.54 Limited public and recreational spaces, especially in popular and informal areas, is a fundamental problem as identified by communities and experts. The government does not prioritize identifying unconventional solutions to addressing the issue of access to public space, except in a few cases where independent initiatives succeed to intervene (for example, the case of a playground that was prepared by Megawra Built Environment Collective in conjunction with the residents of the El Khalifa neighbourhood and the government). Accessibility to public spaces is in decline due to security restrictions, especially in Cairo. Officials are often worried to assume responsibility for such events especially when they can not foresee the their outputs. Cultural events and festivals such as El Fann Midan that used to take place in Abdin Square in Central Cairo with the blessing of relevant government entities were cancelled, since the organizers could no longer obtain the necessary approvals.55 Yet, festivals in Alexandria such as Nassim El Raqs, organized by Centre RĂŠzodanse, as well as Bab El Bahr, organized by Agora; and, other public events organized by Mahatat in different governorates are still taking place, despite the fact that obtaining necessary approvals is complicated. Research and knowledge production is a fundamental pillar in this sector. Yet, it is very challenging to take place due to restrictions and the complicated processes of obtaining governmental approvals. One of the adopted alternatives is to work with accredited researchers from the Central Agency for Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) in order to collect information. If commissioned by UNESCO, or an entity working in collaboration with the government, conducting research may be less encumbering. Identifying funds to cover and publish research is another challenge. Establishing a self-sustainable business model for independent initiatives that are keen on having social impact as a primary focus is very challenging. Therefore, efforts are directed towards efficiency, competence and competitiveness. A proposed model is to have a hybrid between a profitable component that provides services, on the one hand; and, undertakes work with a social dimension, on the other hand. Nevertheless, maintaining balance between both components is generally challenging. The incomegenerating component requires time and resource investment, which often comes at the expense of the social component. Another challenge for this model is the establishment of a sound financial system that monitors the revenues and expenses of the two components. A business model encountered is the research institute model; the challenge here however, is identifying clients, who would commission and fund such studies. b. Urban Heritage Conservation Urban heritage conservation56 seeks to maintain and thereby increase the value of buildings and structures by retaining their original built form and architectural elements, favouring their restoration rather than replacement; and, when restoration is impossible, recreating scale, period and character. Heritage 54

In the process renovating Moezz Street, the government worked on renovating the exterior of the buildings, while ignoring the interior. They did not include the community in the process; and did not work with them to raise their awareness about the project or work on improving their practices or addressing their other needs. It was only when the street renovation was completed that the role and the needs of the people were sought. Conversely, the Agha Khan foundation adopted a different approach while working in Darb Al-Ahmar neighbourhood. It started to work with the residents and building owners of the neighbourhood; its team discussed the process of uplifting the neighbourhood, the cost and the benefits thereof on livelihood of people; and, the change of the real estate value. The people were part of the decision making process from the beginning. They were given the choice either to remain in the neighbourhood or to leave before or after the renovation; and, they were told openly about the pros and cons, the plan of action and the challenges. People also contributed in the cost of renovation; and, other social projects were conducted in parallel. This approach left the people empowered and created a sense of ownership and belonging; thus, increased the possibility of preserving and maintaining the work 55 Marwa Helmy, Cultural Manager, researcher in culture policy and organizer of El Fann Midan 56 Main source: Al Athar Lina, Takween and Port Said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ala Adeemo

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conservation provides concrete benefits to property owners, to businesses and to the community as a whole.57 The Ministry of Antiquities and the National Organization for Urban Harmony are the entities in charge of ensuring that municipalities abide by relevant laws. Laws regulating handling of architectural heritage58, such as the 2006 law, and the criteria defining what could be considered and registered as an architectural heritage are available. Yet, there are loopholes that lead to the destruction or demolition of many of these registered buildings. The predominant strategy is that of dealing with each monument and the buffer zone surrounding it, independently and separately from its surroundings. Most of the work to archive, preserve and restore antiquities is conducted by local and international experts in collaboration with the government. A national strategy and vision for utilizing and preserving such heritage is needed. According to experts interviewed, often municipalities would not prioritize the preservation of the urban heritage. Kareem Ibrahim of Takween says, “Historical Cairo [has been] considered a world heritage site since 1979. Ministry of Antiquities is practically the partner of the UNESCO, not the governorate; and, consequently, not the municipality. Even though the ministry is relevant in overseeing the restoration process, the municipalities are more relevant to be involved in managing the project because they are in charge [of] the infrastructure and services surrounding the site. Moezz Street, for instance, was renovated, but the municipality was theoretically in charge of the operation of the street and its facilities. Yet, given that the municipality lacked the comprehensive vision of the uplifting of the streets, issues such as changing light bulbs and garbage collection were not dealt with. As a result, the Ministry of Antiquity took the lead and handled these matters, despite those falling outside of its scope of work. There is a need to build the capacity of the municipalities and to raise their awareness on uplifting of streets.” The conservation of urban heritage from demolition or deterioration remains a great challenge. The process and cost of registering a building as heritage may be an issue for some, once registration is complete, dealing financially and procedurally with the residents is a greater challenge. Using registration as a method to preserve some buildings is not always an option. Many of the buildings forming urban heritage are privately owned. Laws regulating the relationship between landlords and residents of these buildings are not in favour of the landlord who is expected to preserve the building while receiving minimal revenue, and very little support from the government in the form of tax breaks, for example. This lack of support extends to those who own residential houses or theatres. In many cases, regulations are very restrictive for those who wish to preserve their properties, according to Karim Ibrahim, founder of Tadamun and Takween. The culture of adaptive use of buildings is not yet prevalent, even though it may be a solution to preserve heritage while generating income for the owners. A main challenge is how to improve buildings, while preserving their characteristics and identities. That, in addition to guiding various government officials involved throughout the process to obtain the needed support and approvals. The cost of preservation or restoration for same use or for adaptive use remains very high. The number of independent initiatives aiming to conserve Egypt’s urban heritage while raising public awareness of it as a pillar of sustainable development are emerging. These initiatives recognize the value of antiquities and urban heritage in Egypt, and are concerned with their deteriorating condition as well as the limited government efforts and resources to conserve them. Numerous independent initiatives are currently involved with documenting urban heritage not only by detailing the architectural characteristics of the building, but also by documenting the social and cultural history related to it. These initiatives 57

www.heritagemeaford.com According to Karim Ibrahim heritage as a concept wasn’t introduced in Egypt until the colonial period, starting with the French expedition in 1798. th Antiquities, buildings and neighbourhoods were only categorized towards the end of the 19 century during the British occupation. The focus was limited to buildings disregarding their relationship with society. 58

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started in response to the neglecting of and/or demolition of many sites, which are in most cases sold and rebuilt by private investors. Initiatives focusing on monitoring and documentation59 include Wasf Eskendereya (Description of Alexandria), which focuses on the urban heritage of Alexandria, using drawings supported by historical and social research on each building studied. Among the tasks undertaken by these initiatives is documenting, monitoring and analysing policies, laws, and practices using research; detecting and documenting violations or good practices, as well as, opportunities; monitoring changes in the vernacular or socio-economic needs and trends by conducting mapping exercises, as well as documenting urban heritage in addition to suggesting alternative and realistic solutions to identified urban challenges. Essentially, they are creating an urban archive. Pressure groups with local focus concentrate on specific issues in specific locations, undertaking awareness raising campaigns to influence decision makers. They also work with citizens to raise their awareness on urban resources, with the objective of promoting adaptive use for that heritage. Such groups include Save Alex, Save Mansoura and Heliopolis Heritage. In addition, Ana Min el Daher (I am from Daher) lobbied to enable open access to Sakakini palace in Cairo; Port Saidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ala Adeemo initiative documents the urban heritage of Port Said, conducts walks and undertakes awareness raising activities for citizens and university students; these include introducing the architecture and history of each building. At the same time, such groups advocate for adaptive use of important buildings, rather than demolition. Independent initiatives that focus on heritage and urban upgrade include Al Athar Lina (the monuments are ours) based in the al-Khalifa neighbourhood, an initiative of Megawra Built Environment Collective, investigating and establishing the interface between listed monuments and their surrounding neighbourhood in al-Khalifa Street in Historic Cairo. Al Athar Lina assumes that heritage is another tool for sustainable development; it is a neutral seed and an entry point to the development of the community. The initiative oversaw the conservation of the Shajar al-Durr dome and the rehabilitation of an adjacent early 20th century building into a community and culture centre. Furthermore, some initiatives provide alternatives and technical assistance. They use their skills and knowledge to participate in and support practical projects to assure quality of implementation. These include the Egypt Heritage Rescue Team that was established following the damage caused to the Museum of Islamic Art in January 2014 following a car bomb. The team supported the restoration of the museum, driven by its knowledge and interest. Others adopt a reform approach, working mainly on detecting and exposing corruption and violations. These include Mobadaret Al Amelin Bel Athar (workers in antiquities initiative), a group of workers from the Ministry of Antiquities, working to expose corruption of the employees. Many of the stated initiatives are not limiting their efforts to one approach or focus. Many of them also died out with time after encountering various challenges related to security or to financial sustainability or stopped their work once they fulfilled their goals. A vision for effective urban heritage management and conservation is crucial. The acknowledgment of buildings and their identity in relationship to the current needs of its surrounding community are an issue that is often difficult to resolve. Collaboration between members of the community and the various entities involved is necessary. The distribution of roles and responsibilities between various governmental entities based on their capacities, resources and positions is necessary. In addition, public interest and ownership of urban heritage requires development, in order to maintain and use such heritage. 59

Monitoring and documentation herby refers to entities and initiatives operating as observatories and as researchers.

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Chapter Three Overview of independent creative and cultural initiatives in five governorates: Alexandria, Aswan, Minya, Mansoura and Port Said The following chapter presents a snapshot of the independent creative and cultural initiatives in Alexandria, Aswan, Mansoura, Minya and Port Said, as observed by the researchers through their meetings with artists, initiatives and venues. The chapter focuses on the varying business models adopted, the different income generating activities, as well as the human resource management. A. Alexandria Being the second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria is more established in the cultural and creative sector than other governorates covered in this study. Alexandria hosts artists from all sectors, has numerous independent spaces, and a specific audience60 that has become more and more interested in the cultural scene. In general, Alexandria has become more independent from Cairo, due to more artists and more opportunities. Nevertheless, when artists reach a certain level of popularity, it is common knowledge that they need to relocate Cairo to further advance their career. The film sector is particularly strong in Alexandria, compared to other governorates. This is mainly due to the leading role the Jesuits Cultural Centre has played over a long period of time in filmmaking education. The emergence of independent editors, directors of photography, filmmakers such as Islam Kamal, Mohamad Salah, Emad Maher, Nada Riyadh, Belal Hosny, Ahmad Nabil among others, and the establishment of entities such as Fig Leaf and Rufy’s, are a result of the work Jesuits does.61 The music sector is the most established in Alexandria. This is mainly due to the inexpensive production cost and the possibilities made available by the Internet for artists in the sector. Theatre is taking up different models in Alexandria; most of the artists met in this field were passionate about the idea of theatre reaching people wherever they are. Hence, street theatre has become more popular, as well as smaller theatre pieces in cafés and semi-public spaces. Urban development and heritage is a sector that is beginning to pick up in Alexandria; only one initiative was interviewed for this study: Description of Alexandria. An important cultural practice in Alexandria is festivals and the use of public spaces for cultural and creative performances. Such public spaces include the Citadel, public gardens and streets; as well as, alternative or non-traditional spaces, such as parking lots and train stations. In addition, cafés, private spaces and venues are used for cultural and artistic purposes. Agora, a company with a cultural and artistic mandate, has experience in organizing regular street festivals in different public spaces; Ibda’ b Nafsak (start with yourself), a festival organized by Reem Kassim, the founder of Agora, uses public spaces for cultural and artistic performances in Alexandria. Bab El Bahr, a festival that has been taking place in Alexandria since 2014 arranged by Agora, introduces the concept of cultural tourism and integrates it in the daily lives of people. Nasseem el Raqs (dance breeze) organized by Centre Rézodanse, on the other hand, made a breakthrough in making dance and performing arts more acceptable and sought after by the audiences of Alexandria. In Nasseem el Raqs, dancers and performers choose public locations for their performances; and would engage residents of that neighbourhood in 60

Similar to Cairo, the culture of paying for arts and culture has become more acceptable in Alexandria in recent years. Owing to the growing cultural and creative scene, many events happen nowadays, in Alexandria, where people do pay; they may even pay in advance, which gives an indication of commitment. 61 Peter Fares, former Program Officer at Al Mawred Al Thaqafy and current Program Manager of NAAS (Network of Arab Alternative Screens).

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developing installations together. Other festivals include: Back Street festival by Teatro Eskendria, Zourouni Kol Sana Marra festival commemorating the birth of Sayed Darwish by Eskenderella for Culture and Art, Masrah bela Entag (Theatre without Production) by Gamal Yakout, and Carnival El Shareaa62 (The Street Festival) by El Medina Performing and Digital Arts (El Medina). The creative scene in Alexandria offers much more than the standard music, theatre and film that are part and parcel of this report. Initiatives like Karakeeb Makerspace that works on making technology accessible to artists and Beit el Hawadeet that uses the art of storytelling in a theatre setting, among others, are emerging. Both Karakeeb and Beit El Hawadeet are new initiatives, incubated by the Jesuits Cultural Centre and are in the phase of developing a working model. The Jesuits provides these groups free spaces for meetings and possible rehearsals. Venues and spaces Other than L’Institut Français d'Egypte à Alexandrie (Institut Français), Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Jesuits Cultural Centre, smaller spaces are on the rise in Alexandria. These spaces take up different models but make arts and culture in general more accessible to the public. Spaces include, among others, venues of Gudran: El Max, Dokkan el Mansheya, Wekalet Behna, El Cabina; in addition to Teatro Eskendria and other café-restaurants that have started hosting bands, films and other artistic and cultural events. Given that Alexandria is a major city with an expansive cultural and creative sector, the subject of venues is tackled in each of the sectors below. Music Music is considered the largest sector according to relevant stakeholders met in Alexandria. Ahmed Rock, founder and member of Revolutionary Records band and studio, estimates that 70% of Egyptian underground music originates in Alexandria. Abdallah El Deif, manager of Gudran for Art and Development, sees that the line defining the independent music scene from the mainstream music scene is vanishing. There are numerous independent musicians and artists; and many venues have opened recently, giving artists increased opportunities to perform. Cafés have started to host bands, realizing that this attracts people. It is more successful than other sectors since it provides more opportunities for people to generate income. Lucien Arino, founder of Centre Rézodanse, does not see that artists necessarily need to go to Cairo to ‘make it.’ Rock, however, believes that Alexandrian music does not receive media attention unless bands travel to Cairo, as is the case with Massar Egbari. El Deif and Amina Abou Doma, founder of Teatro Eskendria agree. Despite the vast music scene in Alexandria, key infrastructure-related elements remain missing. For example, Alexandria has only a few equipped recording studios. In addition, one of the largest problems, according to Revolutionary Records, is the lack of large performance spaces. The only available venues for major concerts are the Jesuits Cultural Centre, Institut Français and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Bibliotheca Alexandrina would obtain a large percentage of the ticket price (EGP 30), which leaves little to the band. According to Rock, when the band performs in Cairo at El Sawy Culture Wheel, the venue would retain 60% of the ticket fees. Ultimately, the band barely covers its transportation costs. This could be one of the reasons why bands relocate to Cairo, to have better access at less cost. Theatre The largest challenge for the theatre sector in Alexandria is the lack of independent performing spaces, according to El Madina. This results in a lot of troupes moving to Cairo. Arino agrees, adding that given the shortage of theatre spaces, churches tend to host a significant share of theatres in Alexandria; and are indirectly playing the role of incubating theatre-related talents. As a result of limited spaces, when theatre 62

Carnival El Shareaa is not a festival but rather a number of theatre performances taking place in the street and in public spaces.

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troupes grow stronger, they need to move to Cairo. Culture palaces are nearly unutilized, according to troupes met. In recent years, many places have emerged that offer spaces for independent theatre troupes to rehearse. These include El Makan, Safinet Nouh (Noah’s Arc Company for Independent Theatre) and Villa 70’s, according to El Madina team. Initiatives working on theatre in Alexandria are very keen to develop the artwork to reach a broader segment of the population, and to respond to the lifestyle of audiences today. Teatro Eskendria, for instance, leads the organization of Backstreet festival, on a regular basis. Backstreet festival hosts performing arts in public and non-traditional spaces with the aim of integrating arts into the culture of the Egyptian streets. It also hosts ten-minute performances to promote new talent. Film The Jesuits Cultural Centre has been a key player in the independent film sector in Alexandria since 2004. It has experienced some setback in recent years however, but is endeavouring to pick up the pace. Most individuals working in the film sector are graduates of the one-year filmmaking workshop that the centre provides annually, at subsidized prices. Films are mainly screened at Institut Français, Goethe Institute Alexandria, Wekalet Behna, El Cabina of Gudran and Zawya63, according to stakeholders met. However, more recently, according to Sami Creta, program manager at the Jesuits Cultural Centre, there is a spur of independent spaces in Alexandria. Approximately 10 new places have opened in the past 10 years. These venues are more of initiatives than actual institutions. They are low cost and work with very little resources. While they have good potential and are important to the growth of the sector, the largest challenge, for most, is the lack of vision and weak cultural management, according to Creta. Smaller Alexandria-based film initiatives include Warsha art-space, founded in 2014, which has pioneered stop motion films and animation in Alexandria. Varphai, who is sharing the space with Warsha, produces short films and is aiming to produce a web-series, an art form that is not yet common in Egypt. Films produced in Alexandria still rely on Cairo for equipment. There is no full-fledged studio in Alexandria, with the exception of Fig Leaf. There is a need for technicians to work on location to practice production and lighting. Mark Lotfy, founder of Fig Leaf, underscores the importance of trained technicians rather than the equipment itself. He sees that equipment is highly expensive and becomes obsolete very quickly, so the investment should be in the skills of the technicians rather than the actual tools. While film production is increasing in the independent sector, the more tensions exist in the political sphere, the more difficult it becomes to make movies due to the interference of different governmental entities and unpredictable processes, according to Rufy’s. Urban Development and Heritage Urban Development and Heritage is still an emerging sector in Alexandria. Wasf Eskendereya is the only initiative met. Wasf Eskendereya documents the urban heritage of Alexandria using drawings and description of the social practices and history related to each building, with a focus on preservation of Alexandria’s architectural heritage. El Madina, while mainly a theatre troupe, has a good experience in bridging the gap between arts, architectural heritage and local communities. It seeks to identify or create natural cultural spaces in slum areas. For example, El Madina worked in the Karmouz area, which is close to touristic architectural heritage areas and is known for its craftsmen. Karmouz has a reputation of being a dangerous area, which is untrue, according to El Madina team; hence, the team is working on changing this image and encouraging tourism 63

When Zawya started its work in Alexandria, Rufy's Films made a deal with it to show its first movie, Odet el Feran (The Rat Room), which was rewarding. Zawya made the needed shift; namely, that people need to pay for the movies they see. Typically, independent movies were only shown at non-for-profit institutions’ facilities, whose philosophies would go against demanding tickets. Film production is increasing in the independent sector. Yet, the more the political sphere in Egypt is tense, the more difficult it gets to make movies; different governmental entities interfere and the processes are quite unpredictable, according to Rufy’s.

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in the area. The team undertook research, led workshops with architects and developed a map for cultural walks and simple architectural ideas to show sights and encourage tourists to visit local communities. Business models Agora Arts & Culture has been registered since 2013. Agora is commissioned by members of the corporate sector such as Richcom Global Services to activate products, or by others to create flash mobs. Agora is also commissioned by international organizations to organize and participate in events related to gender issues, refugees, etc. In return for services, Agora is compensated, and thus generates income. Another aspect of Agora’s business model is its reliance on volunteerism. According to the founder, Agora has developed a social image that attracts a lot of volunteers, and recruits regularly through ads. Events carried out by Agora are entirely supported by 20 continuing volunteers, as well as new ones that join per event. Kassem reckons that Agora’s work is 70% for income-generation. Fig Leaf produces myriad forms of art works; video clips, advertisements, feature films, short films, experimental video arts, experimental documentary films, among others. According to Lotfy, Fig Leaf has no qualms with commercial work. Lofty recognizes that it is the commercial undertakings that educate the team the most, in terms of technical know-how as well as efficiency. It also generates the income that allows them to produce their own projects, some have managed to tour festivals and earn awards. Fig Leaf has also founded the Fig Leaf Lab, which specializes in colour correction and sound design. This has proved to be a very good income generation aspect, seeing that Fig Leaf produces excellent quality for much lower cost that the US for instance, or even Cairo. Fig Leaf Lab is at times hired to edit films that are produced in the US, among others. Operating on a horizontal organizational structure, each member of Fig Leaf is responsible for obtaining funding for projects, development and incubating new talent. It is a family-type model that is largely dependent on personality. All projects have a project leader, the leader creates his/her team and together decide on project strategy and timeframe. Fig Leaf produces its own projects too; some of these are costly, some are low cost, but practically, the model works because one project would financially cover the other, so Fig Leaf could afford a project that does not break even. Some of its’ independent movies also manage to travel to festivals and receive awards. Gudran has a recording studio that generates income, which alone covers most of its running costs. Gudran has experience in transforming neglected architecture into cultural and artistic hubs that serve artists as well as society. It has four venues; one of which is El Max in an impoverished area that is no longer managed today by Gudran, but is entirely managed by the community. Gudran assists with services and consultation, when needed. Gudran is supported by in-kind contribution with a share of 52%. For example, El Cabina is owned by a family who rents its space to Gudran for free; and, Wekalet Behna is owned by a company who rents out space to Gudran for free. El Max, on the other hand, is a place that was bought by an individual who was passionate about the cultural and artistic cause and who donated it to Gudran. Revolutionary Records, the band, has established a recording studio with support from a Danish organization. The studio supports the band partially; and supports the bigger hip-hop scene in Alexandria. The studio also has good contacts in Denmark and sometimes facilitates the traveling of other Egyptian bands to festivals there, which generates some income for the band/ studio. Rufy's produces documentary films in collaboration with and for private TV channels. This is an example of an opportunity that incurs good income. Short movies produced by Rufy’s do not generate much revenue (due to the limited audience). Yet, should their films earn awards, these are essential for Rufy's and barely help it sustain itself. Scoping Study on the Independent Cultural and Creative Sector in Egypt I 26

B. Aswan A border province of Egypt, Aswan comprises a very diverse demography, including populations from Aswan, Nubia, Bashaira, communities from Upper Egypt including Arabs and from the rest of Egypt. Each of these groups carries a great heritage of art, culture, tradition and architecture that it is trying to preserve. The perpetuation of oral lore happens naturally in daily life particularly in events such as weddings, whereby the young learn from elders. For most of these groups, especially the Nubians, art is an integral part of daily life. Yet, this great wealth of tradition, arts and culture is not fully explored or invested in. According to Zakaria (Zizo),64 a Nubian artist and founder of Soheil Culture Centre, focusing on cultural heritage rather than introducing new forms of art is essential, especially given the lack of documentation of heritage. Zizo also believes that there is room to expand heritage. For instance, he refers to the possibility of adding contemporary beats while playing doff, a traditional Nubian instrument. With the disappearing generation that lived in the Nubian villages and witnessed resettlement in the 1960s,65 the need to preserve, document and secure the proper transmission of language, art and culture among generations has become very important for the Nubian community. Individual initiatives, in Cairo and in Aswan, with such an aim are emerging. In Aswan, surprisingly, these are not numerous. They conduct scattered activities with a focus on Nubian languages, crafts and music, using theatre and storytelling, among others. Some, such as El Nuba Bel Alwan (Nubia in colours), conducts research and projects such as painting houses in various villages. Hekayet El Fan El Nuby (the story of Nubian art), based in the village of Gostor in Nasr El Nuba, has the mandate of preserving languages, music and songs. It aims to restore the culture of informal gatherings whereby traditional music, singing and dancing are performed. Hekayet El Fan El Nuby makes use of locally and internationally renowned Nubian artists for the promotion of such gatherings. Youth and children are invited to perform, while elders assume the role of educating the younger generation, give technical input and fine-tune the content of the pieces performed. Nuba Tube, a web-based TV channel, has the mandate of preserving the Nubian identity. The daily Nubian programmes broadcast are translated into different languages, and focus on issues related to Nubian women, history, culture, literature and arts. Mohamed Azmy, founder of Nuba Tube, noted that researchers, national and international organizations come to Aswan to study and document its diverse culture. Others implement projects with or without collaboration with the local communities. These efforts have some added value on preserving some aspects of the heritage, empowering the local art scene, and on developing society. Yet, both Azmy and Magdi Asham, representative of the Jesuits Association of Minya in Aswan, critique some of these endeavours for their short-term character; and for taking place without indepth analysis and understanding of key socio-economic, cultural and historic context. In addition to directed efforts towards traditional forms of arts and their conservation, some initiatives focusing on crafts, theatre, music, and storytelling are emerging. These are limited with little resources and are not necessarily aware of each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existence and efforts, as observed by the researchers. They are individuals who have connections with Cairo, or those who are self-taught, or were fortunate to be taught by individuals who are mastering a particular type of art, that are primarily leading these initiatives. Other 64

Zakaria (Zizo) is a young Nubian artist- singer and oud player- from Soheil who established an informal centre in the youth centre in Soheil village whereby children learn music and other art forms. He leads the activities with the support of various artists from Cairo. His motive is to provide a space for children and youth to dream by increasing their access to arts and culture, as he would have wished for himself. He is also keen on using music as a tool to introduce values and to provide an alternative or a diversion from â&#x20AC;&#x153;bad habitsâ&#x20AC;?. Teaching music is accompanied with other activities that promote values and that create room for children to play and have fun. Zizo started as a self-taught artist then learnt oud with a work colleague then joined Warsha in Cairo, where he managed to improve his skills significantly. Zizo sees the need to find a good manager for the centre. 65 Relocation of Nubian villages occurred over two phases. The first group in the 1940s with the construction of the low dam were moved to villages within Aswan. The second in the 1960s with the construction of the high dam were resettled in Nasr El Nuba in the valley of Kom Ombo.

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relatively organized initiatives, based in the villages, are also emerging and are primarily supported by artists and cultural organizations from Cairo. For instance, the Soheil Culture Centre, an informal culture centre (see note 64), is supported by Yousra El Hawary (music), Shady Atef (story telling), the Jesuits in Cairo (filmmaking) and Al Warsha theatre troupe (theatre); these provide training for youth and children for limited periods and in most cases without getting paid. Quesma,66 a storywriter and storyteller, remarks that individuals and small initiatives lead the independent art and culture scene in Aswan, and not institutions. Asham agrees; in his point of view, most existing initiatives undertake scattered activities, but lack a larger vision, which puts them at risk of fading away. According to most of the sources met, there is a wide audience in Aswan that is appreciative and interested in arts; yet, little is presented to it. Islam Shahat, founder of Nabta Centre, said that people are willing to attend events; and are willing to pay especially if the artists (musicians, poets, among others) come from outside of Aswan. For example, in Aswan in early 2016, a large and enthusiastic audience attended the performance of the Nile Project. El Shahat also highlighted that for the people of Aswan, traditional forms are essential parts of the society, so there would be no justification for paying for is practiced and enjoyed in daily social gatherings. Quesma, conversely, questioned the will of the audience to pay for art and culture seeing the rising financial burdens, and considering other more demanding priorities. Ahmad El Ghoul, founder of Mirage independent theatre troupe, noted that the challenge for him is in marketing and reaching audiences. Venues and spaces According to Mostafa El Garfi, founder of Hekayet El Fan El Nuby, most Nubian villages in Nasr El Nuba have multi-purpose spaces within or next to youth centres. These would include one or two stages that can be used for theatre performances and film screenings, rooms for storing equipment, and additional spaces for other indoor activities. These were very active until a couple of decades ago. The infrastructure is still there; yet, in poor condition and with no leadership to manage or revive them. Similarly to other governorates where appropriate space for independent arts is not yet established, cultural palaces are important players in the theatre scene in Aswan. Culture palaces that are associated with Nubian villages, such as the ones in Toshka and Abou Simbel, are relatively active in Aswan today. Yet, their work is too limited, according to artists met, mainly because most of their staff is bureaucrats rather than artists or cultural managers. These palaces provide venues for performances, rehearsals and in some cases provide technical training and incubation. Toshka Folkloric Arts group is an example of such incubation. Similarly to other cultural palaces, they remain restrictive in terms of censorship and regulations. Aswan has other theatres, including the public summer theatre, theatres of the governorate, the university theatre and hotel theatres. These theatres and spaces are not always properly equipped or accessible because of high cost, closure or restrictions. There is a clear need for independent spaces, which are affordable, equipped, and less restrictive, for rehearsals and performances for all forms of arts, according to those interviewed. These do not need to be large, but would pave the way to new groups to gather and rehearse. The culture of establishing multipurpose or co-working spaces, which has proved enabling in other governorates, is not yet developed in Aswan. The only available independent space, to the knowledge of the researchers is Fekra. Fekra is a privately owned space that overlooks the temple of Philae; it has a film studio and hosts workshops, among other activities. Fekra is not accessible to local artists, though. Mohamed Elbetity, its founder and owner, explains that the prevailing trend in Aswan is to establish guesthouses as a mean to generate an income 66

Quesma Hassan (Aswan) is a storywriter and storyteller that was taught while being involved with an organization named Heya. She is currently leading a project called Wansa with the support of the British Council. The project uses storytelling as a tool to help women express themselves and express social issues. She sees that even though the cultural palaces are not active yet they remain the only venue where people can learn or practice art and culture.

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rather than investing in arts and culture centres. Guesthouses are privately owned by locals, and provide an alternative accommodation to international and national tourists. Music Aswan is short on music education, instruments, sound equipment, rehearsal and performing spaces, according to the interviews held67. Ahmad El Ghoul, founder of Mirage independent theatre troupe, noted that there are two studios for sound; yet there are no trained technicians. A shop that sells music instruments opened recently in Aswan, according to Tonat, a local music band. Yet, to date, there are no venues that teach music. The only opportunity to learn musical instruments is with individuals who are selftaught, or who practice as a hobby, or at the recently established music department at the University of Aswan. It is worth noting that according to El Ghoul, the university is short on instruments. Theatre The researchers only met with Ahmad El Ghoul founder of Mirage independent theatre troupe. El Ghoul sees that cultural palaces are the main outlets for independent theatre in Aswan, yet he criticized their traditional vision and limited support to independent artists, who are in need of education, mentoring and exposure. Furthermore, he attributes activity to the artists’ self-diligence. This is in line with the general analysis that the art scene in Aswan is more reliant on individual actions and interventions than institutional strategies and action plans. El Ghoul further agrees that Cairo is the place to learn, practice and receive acknowledgment, especially in the absence of media coverage for artistic and cultural events taking place in Upper Egypt. There is a need to develop infrastructure, train technicians, improve marketing techniques and provide exposure to different artists and artistic directions. El Ghoul refers to the annual theatre clubs festival as an opportunity for new talent to practice and present their work. He refers to the children’s theatre festival and attributes its success to free public accessibility, and to fulfilling a need to entertain children. Film The researchers have encountered only minimal activity carried out by the different players in the area of film. The Jesuits of Minya conducts workshops in collaboration with Soheil Culture Centre. Fekra Film Studio conducts tailored workshops and produces documentaries mainly in Egypt and Sudan. Business models One of the very few structured entities that has been operating at irregular intervals for almost two decades is Fekra Cultural Centre. Fekra has a clear vision and business model; it generates income by providing a space, where events and artists from Cairo and all over the world, are hosted. Events include yoga retreats, and Nile Project rehearsals, among others. Fekra’s owner, Mohamed El Betity, invests in the maintenance of the premises that offers a unique experience due to its special location. He is also building strong local and international networks. Another model is that of Nabta, a recently established entity, which focuses on up scaling and selling palm products. Nabta has developed its business model and vision with support from its donors. Even though the project depends on local materials and on inherited artistry, its sustainability still depends on donors; Nabta receives assistance in the areas of marketing, design, quality and innovation. 67

According to Tonat, they first started rehearsing using their personal equipment and the facilities of local culture palace; soon the regulations became more restrictive than supportive so they stopped using the palace’s facilities. They therefore cannot avoid depending on Cairo for equipped rehearsing facilities, marketing, bigger audience, exposure and access to work with other bands. Dependency on Cairo gets very costly on the band. When the Nile Project performed in Aswan, at Fekra Centre, sound and light equipment had to be brought from Cairo and Minya.

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C. Mansoura In Mansoura, there is a large segment of youth which is passionate about arts and culture, and who are willing to learn, take initiative and volunteer their time. Yet, their main obstacles are a lack of education, lack of mentoring and a shortage of established cases to inspire, according to the researchers. While Books ‘n’ Beans is the most established entity in the creative and cultural sector in Mansoura, it does not seem to be well-connected to younger artists who are establishing their own cultural and creative initiatives. There is clear gap in mentorship and in learning from established expertise; particularly given the limited connection the art scene of Mansoura has in comparison to Cairo in terms of donor, NGO or artists’ networks. Nearly all artists met are self-taught, and had not attended workshops or trainings in their respective areas of expertise. There is consensus about the need for better networking and connection with similar groups; on the other hand, there is an obvious need for education and training; in all artistic fields. Venues and spaces Both Ahmed Faris,68 theatre director, and Reem Habib,69 actress, see that Mansoura needs an alternative space to the culture palaces – a space that is independent. Habib sees that public gardens of Mansoura could potentially be used for such purposes. Oxygen, an art initiative for children and adults, conducts most of its art activities for children at a private library. Oxygen has also undertaken a few events in public places such as clubs, the stadium and the Wadi El Nil garden. Manar Adel, founder of Oxygen, sees that public places could be more accessible for creative and cultural performances and events; yet the process to obtain the necessary permissions is unclear and unpredictable. According to Amr Medhat, metal guitarist and the founder of Distortion Studio, the music scene in Mansoura has access to a few spaces; including, Sakyet Baheya, Nadi Hewar, Nadi Geziret el Ward, Mansoura University, and the Nile Club. Sakyet Baheya, founded by Ahmed El Wassif, is a private cultural venue that is located in a relatively remote area in Mansoura. Sakyet Baheya has a vast space that could potentially be used for major events, concerts and is the only one of its kind in Mansoura. It is not well established, in terms of infrastructure. This is mainly due to its limited resources, which makes it not sustainable, according to its founder. Only a few initiatives have adopted entrepreneurial models, while most of the current initiatives are struggling. Mansoura has at least one successful model of artistic initiative, Distortion Studio, which is completely self-sustainable. Theatre In Mansoura, there are very limited options for independent theatre performances. Theatre troupes not affiliated with the GACP perform on the stage of the Medical Syndicate. The theatre accommodates an audience of approximately 50, and the maximum ticket price is EGP 25. There are two main independent theatre troupes in Mansoura: Hawadit and Al Fan. In addition, there is a challenge in theatre education. According to Faris, the GACP refuses to cover the cost of trainings for performers, actors or directors. In light of that, and given the limited independent sector and the lack of donor involvement in Mansoura, there is little potential for skill development. Music The researchers have only met Amr Medhat from the music sector in Mansoura. Medhat is a self-taught guitarist who specializes in metal music. He gained fame in the metal community through posting videos of his own music online. Medhat, realizing the need for recording studios in Mansoura, founded the Distortion 68

Ahmed Faris (Mansoura) is a young theatre director, recognized by the GACP. Faris does not depend on arts for income generation, but has different jobs and directs theatre mainly on a voluntary basis. He is not connected to any networks of theatre troupes in the centre. 69 Reem Habib (Mansoura) is a scriptwriter, theatre actress and announcer at a local radio station. She is a self-learned actress, who practices theatre on a voluntary basis.

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Studio. The studio is the first in Mansoura; and serves as a hub for musicians to gather, form bands and record their music. According to Medhat, the music scene is picking up in Mansoura, but the growth is still slow. He declares that the studio is doing fine (financially); yet, he could not rely on its income for a living. This is an important observation on the field, given the fact that the studio is the only one in Mansoura. Zat, an art gallery that offers music classes, generates low but sustainable income from music classes. Hanan Fekry, founder of Zat, thinks that people are willing to pay to learn music; this is especially true for parents who want their children to play an instrument. The researchers have not met anyone working in film nor in the heritage sectors of Mansoura, although an organisation working with the latter has been established. Yet, there are other active initiatives in Mansoura that need to be recognized, even though they may fall outside of the scope of the sectors primarily covered in this study. Those initiatives are pioneering and introduce new concepts to the art scene in Mansoura. Oxygen for instance is an initiative that aims at reviving art in Mansoura on the one hand; and uses the arts for development purposes, on the other. Oxygen mainly works with children, but has activities for adults, too. It is not a registered entity, has no headquarters and its activities are entirely led by volunteers. Oxygen undertakes its activities mainly at the library. Activities include arts workshops for kids, art therapy workshops for adults, different artistic activities to encourage reading; and, combined activity events where music, theatre and painting may intersect. Zat is an art gallery that was founded by Hanan Fekry with the aim of promoting the arts in homes and in the choice of clothes. The gallery shows art pieces created by its founder, but also offers space to other artists to show their artwork and serves as a workshop space for music and painting courses. Business models Sustainability of current initiatives in the cultural and creative sector is in question. The initiatives met are either completely reliant on volunteering, or are at risk of closure due to limited income, unclear vision and little expertise. While Oxygen is a successful initiative in terms of promotion of the arts, its outreach and impact remain small, with little prospects for growth. Zat, on the other hand, run by a talented painter, make-up artist and theatre designer, is struggling to find the right business model to sustain the business. Conversely, while Oxygen's volunteers do not get paid for their time, the library may ask arts class attendees to pay fees, which mainly cover the costs of the materials. Zat also succeeded in generating some income through regular music and arts workshops both for children and adults. Despite lack of mentoring and inattention of donors, Amr Medhat is managing to make a living out of music. On the one hand, he plays music with different bands inside and outside of Egypt. On the other hand, Distortion Studio helps generate more income. The studio is also attractive for musicians and artists from Cairo and Alexandria who would prefer getting the same quality service at a cheaper price in Mansoura. D. Minya Minya governorate is very rich in terms of resources. These include antiquities, touristic attractions, agriculture land and industries. Many of these resources remain unutilized. Over the past decades, numerous international and local organizations have supported the comprehensive development of most of the governorate. Yet, very few have directed their efforts towards arts and culture, and those who did were primarily using arts and culture as tools to develop youth, or as tools for development in general.

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Recently, as observed by the researchers, there are various emerging independent initiatives focusing primarily on theatre, cultural spaces, co-working spaces, photography, music, film and contemporary dance; in addition to traditional arts such as stick fighting70 (tahtib) and traditional music. Many of those initiatives soon fade away, especially those operating in film and music industries, according to stakeholders met. This is primarily because most of the artists involved move to Cairo to acquire knowledge and exposure; and to generate sufficient income to sustain their livelihood or to have access to tools and equipment that are not available in Minya. Most initiatives are based in the city of Minya yet; some would reach out to other cities or villages around it. They may direct their efforts towards other cities and villages, directly by reaching the community while undertaking activities and events there; or by undertaking activities to empower local artists, cultural managers or NGOs there. As a result, local initiatives from outside the city are also emerging. The Jesuits and Freres Association (the Jesuits) has been a key player in the art scene in Minya. Besides the artistic program it offers71 and the generation of young artists it produces, the Jesuits has recently launched a program to support newly established initiatives. The program was developed to respond to young people’s concerns regarding the Jesuits inattention to emerging talents and initiatives. The program offers seed funding, as well as in-depth technical and professional training. It is important to highlight that most of the trainers in charge of the program come from Cairo. Despite the perception of conservatism, most interview subjects confirmed that there is a keen audience in the city as well as in the villages – among both the educated and the illiterate – especially if events are brought to them. A jazz concert by a German band was held in a theatre that accommodates 500 in Minya; 350 people attended “just out of curiosity,” according to Beshoy Makram, founder of Dawar El Fnoon, one of the first cultural spaces in Minya. Makram notes that this could be taken as a positive indication of people’s interest in anything new; however, creating a constant demand for arts and culture remains to be a challenge. The challenge for artists, as observed by the researchers, is to identify what type of performance suits which audience, when to present it, and how to increase and diversify their outreach. In addition, there is the challenge of building the culture of ‘buying tickets’ in order to cover some of the cost. Ayman Saad, Manager of the Jesuits in Minya, sees that audiences did not reach the point of willingness to spend money on arts and culture yet; but that at least arts and culture have become much more acceptable by the society. Mohamad Rabie, founder of Kawalis theatre troupe, agrees. Rabie believes that societal tension regarding artistic performances is mainly ignited by around 5% of the society whereas the remaining 95% are seeking or at least appreciative of arts and culture. Venues and spaces Most of the cultural palaces or public theatres in Minya are not very active or are closed for security reasons (for example Abou Korkas Palace, and that of the governorate’s library), as indicated by interview subjects. The few active ones have to approve the performances and the scripts of any play prior to allowing it on stage. The palaces’ censorship is extended to all public theatres such as the ones associated with the Minya governorate. Other theatres or venues connected to the armed forces hotel or other hotels are very costly to rent. The only independent theatre is the one of the Jesuits that was burnt down a few years ago; and, of the Young Men's Christian Association. Many churches would offer their venues to theatre troupes that may not be associated with the church, so long as the script and content are “appropriate”, according to some theatre directors met. 70

Medhat Fawzi Centre for Stick Fight under the umbrella of Al Warsha company for artistic production in Cairo. See annex A for further information.

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Theatre Theatre is one of the most common sectors in Minya. This is mainly the result of the involvement of many stakeholders in the theatre field in Minya, more so than the roles of theatre clubs and culture palaces, also activities organized and associated with universities, the Scouts and the church. While cultural palaces, mainly theatre clubs, are said to be active in Minya, according to theatre directors met, they mainly focus on their own activities and program. Many of the active initiatives72 and troupes tackle social issues. They use various theatrical techniques in their performances or in the work they do with the communities, when commissioned by NGOs. Yet, those who want to present artistic performances of their own encounter various challenges related to finding funding and venues to perform and rehearse in. Most of the artists that want to pursue a career in theatre would leave Minya for Cairo, according to several young theatre directors and artists met. Many highlighted the role played by the church with regards to developing skills and technical expertise in the sector of theatre in addition to making venues available for rehearsals and performances. In that regard, the church is playing an indirect role of creating audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demand for theatre. Many of the technicians are also associated with churches as these have an opportunity to learn and practice; furthermore, most of the sound studios and equipment cater to church activities. In comparison with other governorates of Upper Egypt, Minya has the most technicians and equipment, however, these remain limited, are not of high quality, and target primarily commercial businesses, such as weddings. They are also costly to rent. Technicians learn by practice and those who become very competent move to Cairo. Researchers of this study have not met artists active in the fields of music, film or urban development and heritage in Minya. It is important note other active initiatives that add value to the creative and cultural scene in Minya; these would include primarily cultural and co-working spaces. The value of these initiatives lies in their potential to lend support to emerging artists and young entrepreneurs. They also expand the audience base and create a much-needed demand for arts and culture. Dawar El Fnoon and Graffiti are examples of cultural spaces that were founded in recent years. These initiatives create a physical space for artists to meet, rehearse and perform. There is a clear need for such spaces and there is a potential for their growth and sustainability should they manage to identify their respective value-added and come up with the correct business model. Co-working spaces are also gaining popularity. According to the founder of Cloud co-working space, these spaces are filling a much-needed gap for youth. Cloud supports start-ups and offers a venue where young entrepreneurs in the different fields, including arts and culture, can get together and share facilities and expertise. Business models Prevailing business models in Minya are not developed yet. There is a concern of â&#x20AC;&#x153;how to generate income without becoming a supermarket,â&#x20AC;? as explained by Ali Ahmad, co-founder of Grafitti. Most initiatives are self-funded or depend on in-kind contributions in the form of collective collaboration. Typically, income is generated through collaborations with local and international NGOs, whereby art is used to raise awareness about issues of social concern for example gender equality, health, and early marriage among others. For those who have spaces, income is generated through renting the venue or from conducting 72

Amir Shawky (Minya) is a law student at the University of Beni Sweif and an independent actor. Amir established a theatre troupe with the support of the Independent Development Action in Minya (IDAM). The troupes use various approaches working with children such as drawing on murals, and organizing open-mic sessions. All activities are offered for free in the villages but are paid for when implemented in the city of Minya or for NGOs.

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trainings or workshops. Few, such as Cloud co-working space, depend on membership fees as well as fees for using the co-working space. Some depend on funding, such as Dawar El Fnoon who sees a great potential in the will of the various initiatives to collaborate and complement each other. E. Port Said Port Said is rich in architectural heritage and has a unique culture that is very much associated with the musical instrument el semsemia (a plucked lyre used in Egypt, Jordan and Yemen). It is worth noting that annually, Port Said has a semsemia festival on Easter Monday. The general impression is that Port Said (similar to Mansoura) is quite removed from the capital and lacks well-established organizations that interested groups could turn to or seek advice and mentoring from. There is a clear interest by the younger generation in the art scene, whether as artists, entrepreneurs or audience. Some youth are taking risks and investing their little money to make art accessible to the people of Port Said. Yet, such initiatives are risky and their leaders seem to be worried about their sustainability; and fear possible closure. Most of the individuals met are involved in the art scene on a voluntary basis; and have parallel jobs. Mahatat, based in Cairo, is quite involved in Port Said, and its contribution is quite significant to the scene. As in other governorates, Port Said does not have many venues that may be used for concerts, theatre plays or other performances. Typically, plays or concerts are held at the Port Said International School theatre, which is quite expensive, or at the Mubarak Library, or at cultural palaces. Yet, limited venues have not been brought up as a major problem in Port Said, given the relatively small artistic community. According to individuals met by the researchers, public spaces such as gardens or streets seem to be relatively accessible for artwork, as long as the necessary paperwork and approvals are obtained. Coworking and cultural spaces are starting to pick up in Port Said. Such venues seem to be helpful to young initiatives in the different sectors; and are used as hubs for artists of Port Said. Yet, these spaces are struggling because their income remains low. Venues and spaces Interview subjects from the different sectors agreed that Port Said has a lot of spaces that are not currently functional, but have the potential to be used for cultural purposes. According to Ibrahim Guindy, an AUC graduate, who recently joined Toratheya cultural space, these spaces include the Centre for Culture and Entertainment, the Aldorado Theatre, the Italian School and the Italian House. The Centre for Culture and Entertainment could host up to 1,200 persons, according to Guindy. Aldorado theatre is owned by an individual who has no means to refurbish it, however, because it is classified as a heritage site, the owner is not allowed to demolish it. The two Italian buildings, which are owned by the Italian embassy, have both long been abandoned. Boulevard is the first co-working space in Port Said; it was founded in December 2014. It is a space for studying, holding meetings, attending cultural events and participating in workshops. Music Since 2014, Port Said holds a periodical music street festival named We Have Fann (art). The festival includes music, poetry and theatre, is self-funded and organized by two young women, Mayar El Tuhamy and partner May Ossama. According to them, companies were reluctant to sponsor the event because they do not consider governorates as a worthwhile investment with little to no media coverage. According to El Tuhamy and Ossama, people in Port Said are willing to pay for culture, however, since everything comes from Cairo, it is very difficult to break even. This thought was also shared by Ibrahim

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Guindy; he indicated that even a concert with Massar Egbari, where between EGP 60 and EGP 80 were charged per ticket failed to break even, since it was only attended by 700 people, instead of the expected 1,500. Toratheya cultural space is particularly focused on preserving Port Said’s semsemia-related heritage. Toratheya hosts cultural events, including El Wansa – a traditional musical evening where artists gather, sing and play semsemia. Its founder, Mohamed Ghali, also manufactures semsemias and has a museum that houses traditional musical equipment, primarily semsemia and tanbura (a long-necked string instrument). Film As for the film scene, it is important to note that there are only three cinemas in Port Said, and it was only very recently that they started screening international and English language films. Studio Camera leads the centre for creativity at the public library. Studio Camera, which was founded by the businessman Mohamed Alameddin, holds workshops for amateurs and young professionals in the sector of film and photography. According to Marwa Hussein, a film director, Alameddin, who has a strong network of good trainers, is committed to make arts accessible to youth, and help young professionals in the area of filmmaking and photography. A group of young directors, who acquired their skills at Camera Studio, have produced movies that have been shown at the Alliance Française, Goethe Institute and that have received prizes. Another film director, who learnt filmmaking at the Russian Cultural Centre in Cairo produced a film on the events of 2013 in Port Said, and managed to screen it in a couple of venues. He selffunded his film and was unaware of the independent filmmakers’ networks in Cairo. While there are some films that managed to make it to the culture centres, film directors in Port Said are not sure of what the following step should be; and, more importantly on how to connect with the centre or generate income from filmmaking. Theatre According to Mohamed Eissa,73 a theatre director and scriptwriter, appointed by the Ministry of Culture, there are many theatre troupes in Port Said. He became aware of them when the Belgian theatre director Ruud conducted a street theatre workshop in cooperation with Mahatat. He also believes that there is a big audience that is very keen on seeing new things and being exposed to arts. The audience, he thinks, exists in public places; this is where theatre should be performed, especially that most cannot afford to pay for tickets. Regarding venues, there was disagreement among the theatre directors met with regards to their accessibility. Eissa believes that Port Said lacks accessible theatres for theatre producers. Renting the culture palace theatre costs EGP 1000; performing theatre at the university requires permission from the governor or the university director; and the Mubarak libraries are only accessible for children’s theatre. Hussam Samy74, another theatre director, disagrees. According to him, theatre producers can rent the theatre stage of the cathedral, which is accessible to anyone, not only Christians; the Port Said International School theatre, whose rent is EGP 2000 per day; in addition to the Mubarak library and the cultural palace theatre. Samy adds that there are two other small places; one named Dar Tahsin el Saha, an NGO for the deaf and mute, and the library of Hay el ‘Arab. 73

Mohamed Eissa (Port Said) learned theatre by his mentor Ahmed El Arnous, and started a troupe called Warshetna, where he teaches interested female and male students about theatre academically. This gave him access to a pool of performers that he works with. Eissa is now writing a play, in cooperation with a NGO in Port Said named El Hadaf (the Goal), for children with special needs. 74 Hussam Samy (Port Said) is a mathematics teacher, has self-learnt theatre and attended a few workshops, enabling him to direct plays. Realizing the problematic of funding in the arts scene, Samy started a project called Theatre Without Money to encourage creativity in theatre at low cost. According to Samy, there are many venues in Port Said that could be used for theatre performances.

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Both Samy and Eissa work on a voluntary basis, as individuals who are passionate about theatre. The track of theatre for someone who would like to take up theatre as a full-time commitment is not yet paved in Port Said, and those interested are not even sure where to get the necessary education. Urban Development and Heritage There is one urban heritage conservation initiative, namely Port Said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ala Adeemo. The initiative documents the urban heritage of Port Said. Its members, who are mostly young architects, conduct walks to raise awareness on the architecture and history of each building. At the same time, the team is trying to work with different stakeholders to push for adaptive reuse of some instead of demolition. Such work is relevant to different artistic sectors in Port Said, given the number of abandoned buildings that could potentially be adapted to serve the cultural scene. Business models Most of the independent cultural and creative initiatives in Port Said are undertaken on a voluntary basis. While this is a positive start since it creates the demand by the audience and develops the skills of the artists, it is certainly worrisome from a sustainability perspective. One of the key findings that emerged during the course of this research in Port Said is the important role cultural- and co-working spaces play for young creative and cultural initiatives. Boulevard, established in 2014, is an example of an initiative that takes up an entrepreneurial model in the sector of arts and culture in Port Said. The founders of Boulevard have other full-time jobs and so far they are managing Boulevard on a voluntary basis. The founders are worried that they may need to close down due to rising rent costs. While they no longer pay from their pockets, they have not broken even yet. They realize that Port Said needs a good recording studio and are considering establishing one for income generation purposes. Boulevard founders are also looking into possible partnerships with donors, but this has not materialized yet. Boulevard does periodical events called Efsel (Disconnect) in a cafĂŠ on the beach for families and young people. The event hosts a couple of bands, offers activities for adults such as the making of handmade lanterns in Ramadan, activities for children and often a session on topics of interest such as nutrition. The event is generally attended by 70-150 persons, and generates a relatively good income.

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Chapter Four Summary of Findings and Way Forward Despite numerous challenges on a political, economic and social level affecting the practice, production and dissemination of arts and culture in Egypt today, the independent creative and cultural sector has witnessed significant growth with regards to works produced and audience interest. However, following an overview and qualitative analysis from an income generation and sustainability perspective of the independent arts and culture sector in Egypt, with particular focus on the four fields, this study concludes that most factors contributing to the growth of creative industries and to the acknowledgment of their importance to the national economy are absent. The current environment is not fully conducive to the growth of most of the creative and cultural sectors, particularly given that there is no unified cultural policy in Egypt and that the national budget allocated for arts and culture is not considerable. It is challenging to make the case that the independent arts and culture sector, contributes to the economy. Sustaining initiatives and establishing a self-sustainable business model for the independent sector, remains a challenge. Unless there is public subsidy, local philanthropy or strong business models, the independent arts and cultural sector will remain reliant on donors, or will continue to struggle financially. Key issues emerging from this scoping study are indicated in the following section, along with recommendations put forth by the editor to advance future efforts surrounding the development of creative and cultural industries in Egypt: Creative and culture industries definition Formulating a definition that best serves the local context and complies with vision of the State and of the various relevant stakeholders remains problematic. The term ‘sector’ rather than ‘industry’ remains more appropriate to describe the independent creative and cultural sectors. The term ‘industries’ assumes a set of structural components that are not available yet for the independent sector. For instance ‘industries’ entails that, the relation between the artist (creator) and audience (recipient) is measured and organized by regulations and market indicators. Limited research, statistics and economic data There is limited research on the economic role of cultural and creative industries in Egypt. There is insufficient research or statistics about each sector in terms of available resources, potentials, efforts, and stakeholders; or about the contribution of the various sectors to the economy. Improved data collection and access Information related to various sectors is not always made available by and to different stakeholders. Not all donors or implementing entities make their research readily accessible. There is a duplication of efforts, limiting the depth of knowledge produced. There is no systematic method of collecting, documenting, presenting and sharing available data and information. This applies to donors, as well as practitioners. Sharing of information and lessons learnt occurs ad hoc. Responsible funding In the absence of State support to the independent arts and culture sector in Egypt, donors set the agenda for the independent sector. Donor agendas are directed by numerous factors, at times not in alignment with beneficiary needs, and cultural entities in the governorates beyond the capital. Lack of coordination, collaboration and information sharing between donors causes duplication and inefficiency. At the same

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time, artists and practitioners in the independent arts and culture sector may need to diversify their outlook and perceptions of the funding landscape. The main funding mechanism that the independent sector depends on is that which is provided by local and international funding/supporting organizations (referred to as donors). Most of the highly regarded artists in Egypt affirm that the donor community has played an important role in funding their work, supporting their training and in helping their exposure through participation in festivals and art forums from around the world. Yet, there is a consensus that donors focus heavily on Cairo and often Alexandria, while the rest of Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art and cultural scene lacks investment and support. Also, many complained about the focus on particular artists; indicating the competition is often about the network, not the quality of work. Artists underscored the importance of donors listening more to the practitioners. According to some of the interview subjects, access to support was, until recently, limited to a few artists who have a portfolio, or those with linguistic and technical skills, or to those who succeeded in making themselves personally known to the donors. The donors are based in Cairo, and their focus is predominantly Cairo, and partially Alexandria. The perception is that donors stuck in Cairo and reluctant to take the initiative of exploring what happens outside the centre, and how it could be supported. Some artists think that promoting arts in the governorates requires donors to invest in artistic events; residents of governorates need to see what arts and culture is about, before real talents emerge. Finally, it is essential for donors to collaborate to bridge gaps that naturally fall outside the scope of their individual roles. These may include the adaptation of existing unused spaces for artistic purposes. Collaboration and co-creation An environment of collaboration and co-creation (among beneficiaries and implementing entities) requires development. The existing environment of competitiveness should be challenged, and a more inclusive and cooperative style of work should be encouraged. Cooperation within the independent sector and with the State remains limited. Employability, access to knowledge and education Several stakeholders interviewed highlighted the importance of the link between education, training and employability; and the need to approach creative industries as a potential for securing much needed jobs for youth. This requires the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intervention with regards to giving attention to creative industries as a potential for employability; and matching education, including vocational training, with job market needs. There is a gap between education and the labour market. For technicians, many learn by practice and most are based in Cairo to find work opportunities. In the past, skills were taught by families but since many sectors, such as film and theatre have been in decline - the transfer of knowledge faded. Most of the available trainings in all sectors are limited in content and duration. There is a need for longerterm training, particularly for individuals who are already committed to the field; but are relatively young in terms of experience. Acquiring gradual and in-depth knowledge and exposure to different techniques and tools in all sectors is essential. The need for knowledge is not limited to improving artistic skills of artists and technicians, but it is also fundamental to provide training for managerial and administrative skills with a focus on artistic and cultural initiatives. The approach for such support has to be revisited in order to be more effective and to use tailored curriculums for the size and type of initiatives without limiting the support in the form of only training, but to extend it to longer-term mentorship. Exposure and innovation Especially for those based outside of Cairo, there is lack of exposure to knowledge and innovation; there is therefore no challenge or urge to improve quality or to innovate because most duplicate or imitate and because the audience is not critical, since it has limited options to choose from. Artists have limited knowledge about what is happening within their governorates or in others; and what the available Scoping Study on the Independent Cultural and Creative Sector in Egypt I 38

opportunities are, or even who is actively involved in each sector. Some practitioners do not undertake the necessary research or look-out for information needed; in other cases proper marketing and outreach remains a challenge. Audience The identification of a unique audience for each artistic initiative and the engagement thereof in the process of development has proven effective. Receiving and acknowledging audience feedback supports the establishment of the independent sector. Audience outreach beyond the cultural hubs and capital is conducive to more sustainable artwork. Preserving and reviving the appreciation of traditional arts, in collaboration with audiences, is undertaken in many governorates, but often, requires more creativity and adaptation to contemporary tastes. Building an audience that is interested in and appreciative of various art forms that vary in terms of content and quality than mainstream productions is required for all genres. Exposing and building the taste and appreciation for diverse genres and quality of art, and creating the demand for art remains a challenge, especially outside of Cairo. Reshaping the paradigm of culture and art being free services is also essential to sustain artists and entities. • Building an audience that is interested and appreciative of various art forms that vary in terms of content and quality than one which is accustomed only to mainstream productions is required for all genres: Filmmakers noted that showing independent movies in cinemas educates the audience, who also needs training, just like the filmmakers. • Getting and acknowledging audience feedback supports the establishment of the independent sector: Rufy's studio from Alexandria noted that the director of their feature film Odet el Feran only got to understand its audience upon screening the film at Zawya. Only then did the director acquire the chance to listen to questions and feedback from the audience, an exercise that affected later productions. • Creating the demand for art is a need, especially outside of Cairo. Few young artists who have initiated different cultural and artistic start-ups in Minya flagged the need for creating the demand for arts. They argue that once they make arts and culture accessible to people, people start needing them and by time audiences are accustomed to the idea of paying for it. • Reshaping the paradigm of culture and art being free services. Most interviewed confirmed that audiences are eager to attend, but not necessarily willing to pay. This could be attributed to many factors, including weak economic abilities, but also to the culture of free services. In return this culture affects the quality and sustainability of the services because tickets should have a fair share in the revenue for artists. • Working with and involving the audience engages the audience and changes perception of art: In preparing for Nasseem el Raqs festival in Alexandria, dancers and performers would work with and involve the audience. They choose public locations for their performances; and would work for a few weeks with residents of the neighbourhood in which they are working to come up with the installations together. The people, who may be resentful or suspicious at first, end up being engaged and supportive. In some cases they accept to store equipment in their shops, or participate in cleaning the venues to be utilized. • Exposing and building the taste and appreciation of various genres and quality of art is a mandate of the independent sector: The art house film audience is limited; some argue that the audience is not ready for such films. Independent film makers are often criticised for addressing intellects only, some are addressing the matter by producing good quality films with topics and content that may apeal to a wider audience. Others see that not only is the volume of audiences on the rise, but they are also becoming more diverse. • Reaching and addressing audiences outside the main cities and cultural hubs is a must: In Minya, all stakehoders met agreed that there is a wide audience outside the main cities that may not be aware of the arts and culture scene in the main cities, and may be accustomed to commuting to distant venues Scoping Study on the Independent Cultural and Creative Sector in Egypt I 39

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to view performances, etc. The idea of performing in public spaces especially in marginalised areas is gaining momentum, in Alexandria particularly with the work undertaken by El Madina, and others. Preserving and reviving the appreciation of traditional arts is a need in many governorates: In Aswan, people are willing to go to events and pay, especially if the artists (musicians, poets, among others) come from outside of Aswan; or are presenting a different form of art other than typical folkloric types indigenous to Aswan.

Geographic limitations Amateurs and professionals affiliated to arts and cultural initiatives in the governorates commute regularly or move permanently to the capital Cairo to access knowledge, equipment, technology, expert technicians, expand their networks and exposure. Infrastructure, venues and equipment While there is a genuine need for more spaces to accommodate all forms of arts across Egypt, particularly in the governorates, such spaces do not need to be built from scratch, nor do they need to be complex and costly. With the exception of Cairo and Alexandria, State-affiliated cultural palaces play a major role in governorates. Cultural palaces do not show a diverse range of art forms, and do not invest in the development of artists. While culture palaces are available in all cities, they remain restrictive in terms of censorship and regulations; and are in many cases closed or inaccessible for a majority of artists. However, cultural palaces provide venues for performances and rehearsals, and in very few cases, provide technical training and incubation. Aside from culture palaces and cinemas, infrastructure and equipment are limited to Cairo and very few other governorates. The existing infrastructure requires renovation and more strategic management that will enable it to become more accessible to both artists and audiences. More independent spaces that are managed with a clear vision need to be established. While there is an agreement that the number of independent and co-working spaces hosting smaller concerts and events are on the rise in almost all governorates, governorates are still short on venues, equipment and entities to organize artistic and cultural events, efficiently. There is a general agreement on the following: • The need to increase access to State-owned venues: given the limited access to State-owned venues, donors and cultural institutions play the biggest role in terms of making their venues accessible to independent troupes. • The need to refurbish and revive existing venues: venues where big concerts can be held are very few, and their number has been decreasing over the past years. Iconic State-run theatres are not functional; this, in addition to numerous cultural palaces around Egypt.75 • The need to make art house productions more accessible to audiences: venues where art house productions are screened are very limited and are not very well known. This shortage presents a major challenge for the industry. Other than Zawya and Cimatheque - Alternative Film Centre, art house films are only screened in culture centres or in small independent culture spaces, or at festivals. • The need to access and use public and alternative spaces. Using public spaces and alternative spaces, such as parking lots, for artistic and cultural purposes, is on the rise especially outside of Cairo. This is due to a shortage in accessible and equipped venues, in addition to being a strategy to reach a wider audience. The idea of performing in public spaces, especially in marginalised areas, is gaining momentum in Alexandria particularly with the work undertaken by El Madina, and others. In Minya, the number of co-working spaces is increasing. The value of these spaces lies in their potential to lend support to emerging artists and young entrepreneurs. These venues also expand the audience base in Minya and create a much-needed demand for arts and culture. It is easier to access and obtain 75

In Aswan the situation is relatively different as some of these palaces are active. Toshka Folkloric Arts group is incubated by the culture palace. Most of the Nubian villages in Nasr el Nuba have theatres that are in bad conditions. The latest were active until approximately 20 years ago. Aswan, on the other hand, has other theatres too, including public theatres such as the ‘summer theatre,’ theatres of the governorate, the university theatre and hotel theatres. These theatres and spaces are not always properly equipped or accessible because of high cost, closure or restrictions.

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approvals to perform in public spaces in governorates rather than in Cairo, like in Alexandria, for example, where various events and festivals take place in public spaces. The need for independent venues that are more accessible to artists: donors should consider alternative models to invest in such as infrastructure, for the long-term benefit of the sector. Possibly, donors should consider a pool fund for infrastructure. El Sheikh suggests investing in multi-purpose or co-working spaces. The need for equipment, especially outside of Cairo.

â&#x20AC;˘ Business models The most commonly successful business models encountered by the researchers are those adopting hybridtype models. These comprise a component that is clearly commercial, abiding by market forces, and another component that is independent. This model may not be possible for all disciplines and requires a clear vision and management that may balance the efforts between the two components. Unless there is public subsidy or local philanthropy or very good business models, the independent artistic and cultural sectors will remain dependent on donors, or will remain struggling financially if only self-funded. A win-win approach for possible collaboration with the corporate sector is not yet sufficiently researched. There are examples of interesting aspects of creative partnerships that should be examined and possibly built on. Mediators who can speak the languages of both sectors are needed. The perception of arts and culture The way artists and the audience perceive arts and culture has to be redefined and reconstructed. Arts and culture are still not considered a regular practice for many whether as a hobby, as a job, or as an audience. This perception must be reformed before such an expense is naturally included in a household budget. Quality, creativity and vision The number of artists and cultural entrepreneurs is rising in the various sectors. Yet the quality, diversity, creativity, and innovation of the products and techniques are limited. Many duplicate the work of others in a superficial way, or work very traditionally without adding value to their work. This is affiliated with poor exposure, weak technical knowhow, lack of quality indicators, and little competition, which leads to developing critical judgment on the part of the audience. Developing a clear vision and coherent strategy that builds on available skills, resources and demand remains a challenge for many practitioners whose activities have a rather sporadic nature, rather than a strategic one. While many of these activities maybe effective, their impact remains limited and provisional. Regulations and State restrictions Policies and regulations are often opaque; and a few may distinguish between actual regulations and employee discretion. Regulations (or at least the way they are applied) are very restrictive for most. This applies to regulations enforced on the work of each sector, and those enforced in the use of public space. Outside of Cairo, the situation may be slightly easier because one has to deal with fewer entities than in Cairo. State restrictions are easier to manage in the governorates than they are in Cairo.

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General recommendations by the editor • •

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Encourage interdisciplinary knowledge production in collaboration with CAPMAS, the private sector, and academic institutions (local, regional and international) within regulated frameworks. Encourage frequent meeting points, information sessions and constructive dialogue between donors, beneficiaries and interested members of the public to discuss challenges, clarify misconceptions concerning mutual roles and expectations – not limited to Cairo but inclusive of governorates. Consider the revival of the national cultural policy group, following a clearer understanding of challenges and opportunities surrounding its dissolution post 2012. Encourage and host frequent information-sharing meetings between donors. Increase frequency of collaborative projects between independent and State-related cultural entities. For example: conducting capacity-building training in the field of cultural management with the participation of representatives from both State and independent cultural entities. Expand and emphasize vocational training and outreach as integral elements and components in project design and implementation, with the possibility of local, regional and international expertise. Harvest and compile (in text and audio-visual format) case studies of successful local hybrid business models, communicated to relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries, as part of a broader effort to boost capacities. Ensure inclusion of collaboration examples with the corporate sector in case studies of successful local hybrid business models. Introduce and boost local travel mobility grants, and enable procurement of equipment beyond the capital, following relevant trainings on maintenance and administration. Introduce and encourage the application of innovative methods and systems of audience engagement in arts development (inspired by local, regional and international examples) that may further be included in a portfolio of successful case studies, communicated and disseminated widely. Conduct (or commission) an updated report compiling the broad scope of policies, rules and regulations affecting the production, practice and dissemination of cultural and creative endeavours in Egypt today (in addition to profiling all regulatory bodies affecting artists, audiences, cultural managers, researchers or entrepreneurs).

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