The ninth annual report of the Cultural Policy in the Arab Region Programme covers some of the key developments in cultural policy in 12 Arab countries in 2017. The report includes developments in all Eastern Arab and Maghreb countries.
The report is part of the Cultural Policy in the Arab Region Programme, which we launched in association with Al Mawred Al Thaqafy in 2009. The programme aims to create a knowledge base to support cultural planning and cooperation in the Arab region and to inform lobbying efforts to improve the situation of cultural policy in their respective countries. The report is edited by Ettijahat-Independent Culture.
The research papers contributing to this report draw a generally negative image of cultural policy in Arab countries. While there were no significant governmental changes which directly impacted cultural policy, the ongoing political crises from previous years in many countries is still leaving a severely negative impact on the cultural sector.