Cultural Policies in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia An Introduction Cultural Policies in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia An Introduction Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy) European Cultural Foundation Boekmanstudies 5 Foreword by Odile Chenal and Philipp Dietachmair Interesting dynamics are at play on the cultural scene in the Arab world. Not only a rapid expansion of the contemporary art market and a growing interest of international art experts and dealers for the artistic creativity in the Arab region can be observed, but also, more profoundly, the development of an independent cultural sector. In a political context, which remains very difficult in most of the Arab countries, a new generation of internationally connected cultural players has managed to open independent spaces for contemporary artistic creation throughout the whole region, and to create the first frameworks and tools for cultural leadership and management. These changes cannot remain without impact on governments’ role and accountability in cultural life; and these cultural actors will start questioning public cultural policies more loudly. Unlike what many in the “West” probably think, cultural policies do indeed exist in the Arab world. In most of the Arab countries Ministries of Culture were established in the 1950s and 1960s, earlier than in several of their European neighbours. This does not mean, however, that these ministries and their sometimes prolific administration produce consistent cultural strategies. Generally speaking, there is very little or no transparency about decision making mechanisms, and very little or no consultation about needs and priorities. There is an evident lack of public information and public debate with a free exchange of arguments. In this paradoxical context of a changing cultural and artistic scene and fossilization of the cultural bureaucracy, the regionally operating NGO Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy, Cairo) took the initiative of opening the debate about fundamental cultural policy issues. A first step was to gain more insight into the cultural landscape in general and the role of public authorities in particular in the different Arab countries. Therefore Culture Resource, in close cooperation with the European Cultural Foundation, commissioned researchers to investigate the cultural policies in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia. The results of theses studies were presented and discussed during The 1st Conference on Cultural Policies in the 6 Arab Region (Beirut, 7-8 June 2010). A timely initiative, as the vibrant energy of this conference showed! The publication of this book represents a further joint step towards increasing awareness about the importance of up-to-date cultural policy frameworks, while at the same time providing a first glimpse into the realities of public cultural administration and policymaking in this area. An essential body of experience and practice for reviewing, analysing and documenting cultural policy frameworks and realities in Europe is the Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe compiled by the Council of Europe and ERICarts. This was an important point of reference for the Arab and European researchers involved in the making of this book. The individual cultural policy profiles do not claim to describe the full picture. Instead they present the beginning of a discursive and institutional process that is being set in motion throughout the cultural scene in some Arab countries, in the context of the EU Mediterranean Neighbourhood. The complete country profiles will be made accessible on the websites of the project initiators and other online platforms interested in cultural policy research and documentation. In the years to come more country profiles and extended versions of the ones introduced in this book will be prepared. It is the start of a process. A start in stimulating studies and research on cultural policies in Arab universities, in creating opportunities for scholars, cultural actors, civil servants and media to engage in the debate on cultural policies both at local and regional levels and in an international perspective, particularly in the context of the ongoing cooperation between the European Union and the Arab Mediterranean countries. At a time when the structures and traditions of cultural policies in most European countries are undergoing change, there is indeed much to share. Cultural policies may remain first of all a national domain; they are, however, interwoven with cultural practices, international connections, regional challenges and global issues. International cultural cooperation must be viewed from a new perspective. The European Cultural Foundation is grateful for the tireless support and commitment of the following persons: Makhlouf Boukrouh and Ammar Kessab (Algeria), Menha El Batraoui and Nermeen Khafagui (Egypt), Nawal Ali and Samah 7 Hijawi (Jordan), Watfa Hamadi and Rita Azar (Lebanon), Fatima Azzahrae Chaabani and Sellama El Ghayam (Morocco), Fatin Farhat (Palestine), Reem Al Khatib and Rana Yazaji (Syria) and Ouafa Belgacem (Tunisia); Basma El Husseiny, Hanan Hajj Ali, Marwa Helmy and Therese Badie Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy, Cairo); Milena Dragićević Šešić (University of Belgrade, Serbia), Ritva Mitchell (CUPORE Foundation of Cultural Research, Helsinki, Finland) and Tsveta Andreeva (European Cultural Foundation, Amsterdam); Ineke van Hamersveld and André Nuchelmans (Boekman Foundation, Amsterdam); Jean Vaughan (Engelse TaalService, Amsterdam); Idriss Nor (DOEN Foundation, Amsterdam); Lyne Sneige Keyrouz and Laila Hourani (British Council). Contents 9 5 Foreword by Odile Chenal and Philipp Dietachmair 11 The initiative for the assessment and development of cultural policies in the Arab region by Basma El Husseiny 13 Cultural politics and cultural policy in the Arab world by Issandr El Amrani Cultural policy profiles 23 Introduction to the cultural policy profiles of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia by Hanan Hajj Ali 26 Algeria by Makhlouf Boukrouh and Ammar Kessab 51 Egypt by Menha El Batraoui and Nermeen Khafagui 78 Jordan by Nawal Ali and Samah Hijawi 102 Lebanon by Watfa Hamadi and Rita Azar 126 Morocco by Fatima Azzahrae Chaabani and Sellama El Ghayam 150 Palestine by Fatin Farhat 174 Syria by Reem Al Khatib and Rana Yazaji 201 Tunisia by Ouafa Belgacem 227 Opening horizons The need for integrated cultural policies in the Arab world by Milena Dragićević Šešić 263 About the authors 10 11 The initiative for the assessment and development of cultural policies in the Arab region by Basma El Husseiny In March 2009, Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy), in collaboration with the European Cultural Foundation, the DOEN Foundation and the British Council, launched an initiative to conduct a survey of the general features of cultural policies in the Arab region. The initiative aims to build a data base that will support cultural planning and cooperation, and to propose ways of developing the systems of cultural work in this region. The initiative is an extension of the Cultural Management Programme that Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy) initiated in 2005. This programme offers training courses in Arabic to a large number of individuals involved in cultural management. To support the courses and the participants, four essential reference works on cultural management were translated into Arabic and published: Guide to Cultural Management,1 Arts Management in Turbulent Times,2 Strategic Planning in the Arts3 and Art Management: Entrepreneurial Style.4 1 Marina Barham, Makhlouf Boukrouh, Hanan Hajj Ali and Basma El Husseiny (2009) Guide to Cultural Management; 2nd Ed. Cairo: Sharqiyat. First edition: 2006. 2 Milena Dragićević Šešić and Sanjin Dragojević (2005) Arts Management in Turbulent Times: Adaptable Quality Management: Navigating the Arts Through the Winds of Change. Amsterdam: Boekmanstudies and European Cultural Foundation. 3 Michael M. Kaiser (1995) Strategic Planning in the Arts: A Practical Guide. New York: Kaiser/Engler. 4 Giep Hagoort (2000) Arts Management: Entrepreneurial Style. Delft: Eburon. (Utrecht School of the Arts). Townhouse Gallery shop, Cairo, Egypt. © Courtesy Townhouse Gallery 12 During the first phase, a preliminary survey was conducted of the policies, legislation and practices that direct cultural activity in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The surveys were conducted between May 2009 and January 2010 by a team of Arab researchers from the 8 countries concerned. They were selected through an open competition in which they demonstrated their knowledge of and expertise in the state of cultural work in their countries. As a first step, the researchers participated in a workshop, conducted by European experts, to train them in the use of the cultural policies survey model developed by the European Institute for Comparative Cultural Research (ERICarts) and the Council of Europe, used in the Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. The model was modified somewhat to cater for the prevailing conditions in the Arab countries in the study. The surveys offered the Arab researchers a systematic exploratory tool that facilitated their task of identifying the strong and weak points in the policies and practices that direct cultural work in their countries. The findings constitute only