Music: a vehicle for cultural, social, economic and tourism development in Palestine
In Palestine, as is the case across the Near and Middle East, the music industry is booming. The creativity of Palestinian artists contributes to the intense cultural activity seen since the 1990s and especially over the last ten years.
Since the 2000s, Palestinian artists, music productions, online platforms and collectives have been making their mark by influencing local culture and arts and building an international reputation. According to SACEM, Palestine has the highest per capita number of creators and artists among Arab countries. The music industry is seen as a cultural engine and has considerable economic potential: one artist promoted can create up to ten jobs, as there are many professions that revolve around artistic creation (sound engineer, production manager, artistic director, music programmer, as well as jobs in production and marketing, etc.).
Barriers to the development of the music industry in Palestine
Some Palestinian artists are famous across the region and internationally. But the Palestinian music industry faces various challenges that prevent it from realising its full economic, cultural and social potential:
• The lack of an enabling legal environment for the rights of artists undermines their ability to produce, distribute and promote their music, especially with marketing agencies and platforms. This makes it impossible for most artists to earn a living from their creations
• The limited availability of training for sound technicians, the small number of actors in the music industry and the lack of coordination among them, the low level of public support to the sector, and the lack of access to regional and international opportunities hold back the development of its ecosystem. Yet it is highly creative and the deployment of digital technology could facilitate its development
Many of these challenges are endogenous and not related to the conflict. Structuring and exporting the Palestinian music scene, and more generally its art scene, contributes to promoting a positive image of Palestine abroad and thereby helps break away from the vision of a fragmented society.
A project to improve the structuring of the music ecosystem
In this context, Expertise France is implementing a project which aims to help structure and develop Palestine’s music ecosystem and thereby support musical creation, especially by Palestinian young people.
To this end, Expertise France’s activities are based on three lines of action:
1. Support for all music creation in Palestine, by enabling artists to earn decent incomes from their creations and protecting them.
2. Development of entrepreneurship and professionalisation of the sector.
3. Innovation and development of digital technology.
This project also aims to promote artistic career choices, make them accessible, and give credibility to them, while showcasing Palestinian heritage and identity. It especially targets young people, but also supports the social and economic inclusion of women, who are actively involved in music production.
The scope and innovative nature of the project, which puts the spotlight on the positive and creative face of Palestinian youth, is helping Palestine shake off an image systematically related to the conflict.
For futher reading: "Palestine: a unique project which can be an example for the entire MENA area"
Project partners
Jafra Productions, the main Palestinian partner
Jafra Productions, an independent label and incubator for music companies based in Ramallah, was set up in 2010 to develop the Palestinian music industry and support all forms of artistic creation. Jafra Productions has acted as a catalyst for a number of emerging Palestinian artists, by giving them various types of support: access to a professional network, production, financial and administrative management, promotion and distribution of their material.
Jafra Productions has also contributed to a number of local music initiatives and projects, including the renowned regional and international Palestine Music Expo Festival, which showcases the Palestinian music industry with the aim of preserving, developing and diversifying Palestinian heritage.
www.jafraproductions.com
SACEM
The world leader for collective copyright management, SACEM collects and distributes the rights of music creators and publishers. It is committed to always bringing greater value to creation. It also offers social protection schemes, combined with a high level of services and assistance to provide the best possible support to its members at each stage of their career.
A French technology champion resolutely focused on the future, SACEM is recognised for its expertise in the mass and close management of data from online actors all over the world. Through its action, it works to showcase all music in all its diversity.
Under this project, SACEM is providing its expertise to help structure the Palestinian music industry.
www.sacem.fr
