Cultural Economy Middle East

ABOUT US

CEME is a research network comprising academics and creative industry practitioners from across Europe and the Middle East. Our aim is to establish closer working relationships between CCIs in these two regions. Drawing on the vast amount of knowledge and skills across the Middle East and North Africa, we develop research and opportunities for mutual learning, regional parity and trust. This includes academic articles, industry-focused reports, capacity-building events and short-form audio-visual content.

Our five key objectives are:

• Building relationships between the creative and cultural industries of the EU and MENA regions through knowledge exchange and collaboration
• Promoting and supporting CCIs as an economic engine for peace and cultural well-being
• Enhancing creative education and skills through collaboration with educational institutions
• Increasing employment opportunities and providing support for climate-friendly CCI development in the context of ongoing economic diversification efforts across countries
• Advancing the equitable development of CCIs through advocacy of equality, diversity and inclusion objectives within policy frameworks

Find out more about CEME in the video introduction below

Our work

We provide a platform for knowledge exchange through the production and dissemination of original research that focuses on CCIs in the MENA region.

We respond directly to opportunities for collaboration and dialogue between the EU-MENA regions. Our aim is to work on the particular knowledge and skills gaps that have been identified in previous EU reports. Our current research focuses on key topics including:

• • The visual arts ecosystem in Saudi Arabia
  • Film festivals in the EU, GCC and MENA region
  • The growth of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) in the MENA and GCC region
  • Independent music production in Cairo
  • Find out more about CEME here.