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Creative Industries in Yemen
Creative and cultural industries (CCI) generate economic wealth for countries, while promoting dialogue between societies. Unfortunately, due the ongoing conflict in Yemen and economic collapse, many cultural organizations have stopped operating, and Yemenis find it difficult to maintain themselves through arts.
It is difficult to provide statistics or information about the number of cultural institutions, number of cultural practitioners, and economic value of organizations in Yemen, since there is a lack of studies on the state of the sector in the last 10 years. In efforts to better evaluate the context and understand future areas of intervention, UNESCO and the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) published a needs assessment report that sheds light on the current socio-political and economic context of CCI in Yemen, as well as identifies opportunities, needs, and challenges of the sector. The report also provides potential suggestions for sustainable venues of investment in the sector focusing on economic resilience and sustainable institutional management of cultural organizations.
UNESCO and the EU are currently supporting cultural and creative industries in Yemen by funding projects and employing Yemeni artists in various cultural fields. By learning about the needs of local organizations, the study will lay the framework for future successful interventions.
The study covered an exhaustive analysis of available literature, as well as recorded workshops, websites, and social media of cultural organizations. It included 10 interviews with 12 cultural practitioners and managers in Hadramout, Aden, Sana鈥檃, and the diaspora. Cultural operators from diverse fields were asked questions regarding challenges faced and the needs of their institutions.
The study complements AFAC鈥檚 work at the grassroots and community levels, by providing valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities of the CCI sector in Yemen. The learnings of this study will gear the strategic operations of AFAC and its partners in countries ruled by ongoing crises across the Arab region
CCI in Yemen face many challenges due to the political and economic context of the country, the social perception of arts and culture, gender barriers, and the status of public health in the country. Thus, future international interventions should tackle current needs of CCI, which include the need for capacity-building, supportive funding structures, cultural policy work, networking schemes, and support for infrastructure.
