THE CHALLENGES AND NEEDS OF LEBANESE MUSIC SCENE
The Mejwiz program aims to empower the independent music scene in Lebanon and to help it become more sustainable. The organization of a focus group gathering professionals of the sector was the first step of this program. The objective was to understand the challenges and the needs of the Lebanese music scene. The meeting was held on the 30th of November 2019 and gathered 12 professionals of the sector, from diversified backgrounds, among which booking manager, music promoters and producers, festival and concert organizers and independent musicians. The team was positively surprised by the contribution of the participants as the political context was very tensed at that period and it wasn’t clear until the last day if the event could be successfully carried out.
The discussion tackled the big challenges facing the music industry in Lebanon, especially for independent artists who lack structure and support. The participants shared their impressions regarding the impact of the Lebanese Revolution on the cultural life and how this is affecting, both positively and negatively, the independent music sector. Moreover, this focus group allowed to give exposure to the Mejwiz program, to strengthen the network and to initiate new collaborations between professionals of the sector.
On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and the Goethe-Institut promote the emerging market of cultural and creative industries in Africa and in the Middle East. This workshop is implemented by GIZ in collaboration with Mada Association within the framework of the Mejwiz program.