Introducing Jafra Production’s Second Cycle of NEST - Music Incubator Program

Dedicated to offering mentorship, production support, and networking opportunities with players from around the world, NEST is an asset to artists and creators aiming to navigate the global music industry. Through the program’s three phases named Global Beats, SoundLab, and Sustainable Future, NEST provides the tools, know-how, and support for career growth involving performing in international festivals and creating music abroad. Simultaneously, it creates the space for a vibrant music community to connect with industry professionals from studio producers, and songwriting mentors to record label owners.

Overall, this five-month program welcomes Palestinian music creators from all genres looking to develop and elevate their craft, whether emerging artists or established performers, solo artists, or bands/collectives. 

“What these young musicians have in common is their thirst for knowledge in all aspects of the music field: recording, live, tech, and first and foremost the awareness of their rights. I was proud to share my experience with such a talented and promising generation!”, says Habib Achour from the Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers of Music (SACEM) on NEST I. 

NEST I featured 40 musicians in its first phase out of 298 applicants, 11 of whom were selected to proceed to the second phase of the program, including Tareq Abboushi, who went on to perform at the Arabesque Festival in France, and Faris Ishaq, who launched his successful solo tour in the fall in Norway and the United Kingdom. In its second edition, the program aims to target fewer participants compared to the first cycle to fully focus on this year's four key themes: artistic identity, public relations and communication, the live industry, and copyrights. 

NEST II is being brought to life through a dynamic collaboration with leading organizations and institutions committed to fostering creativity and cultural exchange. In this special edition supported by France, a strong focus is made to connect Palestinian and French music industries through different partnerships. Key partners include the Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers of Music (SACEM), TikTok, Believe, Groover, FLAM, Bridge Audi, Babel XP, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), amongst others. 

The program's success is further supported by the generous contributions of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the technical support of Expertise France, whose investments in cultural initiatives highlight the potential of music as a catalyst for social and economic empowerment. In this regard, NEST is part of a broader project (referred to as SPMI) to support the development of the Palestinian music ecosystem. The first component of this project is dedicated to support musical creation by enabling artists to earn a decent income from their creations by adapting the legal framework and guaranteeing their copyright. NEST is the second component of this project by developing vocational training and support for entrepreneurship.

The MENA region has one of the highest growth rates globally in the music industry according to the IFPI 2024 report, "streaming revenues dominated once more in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with a 98.4% share of the market in that region. Total MENA revenues rose by 14.4% in 2023, exceeding the global growth rate." 

About Jafra Productions

Jafra Productions is a pioneering music hub and artist incubator based in Ramallah, Palestine, with its roots dating back to 2010. Jafra Productions has been playing an active role in artist development within MENA's music industry. Jafra supports artists and professionals alike to thrive on global stages and export music from the MENA to the world. 

Website: www.jafraproductions.com

About NEST – Music Incubator
 

A 5-month program designed to empower music creators from the MENA region in building, growing, and sustaining successful careers within the music industry. Our mission is to provide artists with personalized mentorship, production support, live performance opportunities, and networking within the global industry. 

Website: www.jafraproductions.com/programs/nest/

Contacts

For media inquiries, interviews, and additional material, please contact:

Bernardo Queiros – Marketing & Global Industry Partnerships: bernardo@jafraproductions.com
Samer Jaradat – Founder & CEO: samer@jafraproductions.com  

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