Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are an important part of society, contributing substantially to each country’s economy. According to the UNESCO, CCIs generate US$2,250 billion in revenue and create 29.5 million jobs annually, with more young people ages 15 – 29 employed in the sector than in any other economic activity. Additionally, 90% of countries feature culture as a leading priority in their tourism policy.
At the British Council, we believe that supporting the creative economy extends far beyond the financial and economic aspects. In our report, ‘The Missing Pillar: Culture’s Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals’, we emphasised the critical role of culture in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the SDGs' focus on economic, social and environmental dimensions, arts and culture remains an under recognised pillar essential to sustainable development by promoting collaboration and mutual understanding worldwide.
Our creative economy programme recognises the substantial economic and social value of CCIs. We support this sector by conducting enterprise and policy research, fostering creative sector development and providing enterprise, leadership and skills development. We have also produced various resources, including guides, toolkits and reports, that provide valuable knowledge for artists, convenors of creative hubs and other individuals and organisations participating in the creative economy.
In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, we employ a locally led, people-centred strategy that involves working closely with our local and national partners in decision-making and programme delivery. Our guiding principles underscore the need for spaces for free and diverse artistic expression. We believe that strong support for the creative economy is vital in driving inclusive social and economic growth.
Through comprehensive needs analysis and evidence-based strategies, we have created various MENA programmes that strengthen the creative economy. These include providing viable career paths for young artists through capacity building and global engagement.
Supporting Policy and Practice in Egypt’s Creative Economy
We commissioned a study titled ‘Contextualising Creativity, Recognising Informality: On Creative Industries in Egypt’, which explored the experiences of creative economy participants across fields such as design and craft, fashion and food, gaming, animation and digital applications, while also incorporating insights from state authorities. The study identified two central policy pillars: the role of intermediaries and the challenge of intellectual property rights, both of which must be understood within the context of Egypt’s informal sector. This sector, while presenting challenges to policy enforcement, also offers opportunities to redefine creative practice.
Building on these insights, the Policy Training Supporting the Creative Economy programme was developed to support policy makers in developing robust policy frameworks. The hybrid training equips policy makers and implementers from a range of stakeholders with the tools to embed cultural and creative industries into policy. To date the British Council delivered six structured modules over two years, with 100 participants from seven government entities. To complement our work on the policy level, the Creative Maker programme supported 21 emerging creatives from Cairo and Upper Egypt, half of whom were women, to enhance their professional skills, adapt to the global market and transition into sustainable careers. Four participants received seed grants to advance their creative projects. Together, these initiatives aim to spark a broader discourse on creative industries, develop the capacities of creative entrepreneurs and shape inclusive and responsive policies in Egypt.
Mapping Iraq’s Creative Economy
In Iraq, we commissioned the first-ever Creative Iraq Mapping Report, to better understand the nascent and youthful creative economy in Iraq. The mapping research involved consultations with over 600 creatives and key informants in 7 cities, including leaders and influencers from government, the private sector and civil society. Iraq’s creative industries were assessed by the themes of skills, policy, market and sales, finance, infrastructure and coordination across the sectors of screen, writing and literature, music, theatre and performing arts, cultural heritage, visual art, handicrafts, and advertising and digital media. The research revealed a thriving but under-supported creative sector that could have a unique role in the next development phase in Iraq through “durable solutions” focusing on increased cooperation, livelihoods, economic diversification and climate change. The assessment of the sectors showed that skills are the main barrier for development across all different sectors, followed by policy and finance.
Under policy, consultations showed that one of the biggest challenges in creating a supportive policy environment was a lack of government understanding of the creative economy. The Creative Iraq research report identified key recommendations for how to support Iraq’s creative economy at the grassroots ecosystem level, enterprise level, leadership level, and policy level, presented in a progressive tiered approach that is a starting point for informing discussions and decisions around policy and sector development in Iraq.
Through these programmes, we seek to promote community dialogue and inclusion by expanding artists’ reach to diverse audiences, while enhancing national stakeholders' abilities to develop effective CCI frameworks to ensure long-term economic viability.
We believe that the arts and culture sector can contribute significantly to engaging and empowering the people, especially the youth. CCIs and the creative economy play a vital role in giving people access to art, which holds the power to reimagine a collective future, foster dialogue and engage and inspire new generations.
Written By Dr. Amany Abouzeid
Regional Arts Director – MENA