Cultural life in Yemen has been severely affected by the ongoing war. As a result, there are hardly any opportunities for creative talents to receive further training in the artistic field, implement art and cultural projects, and present them to a broad audience. Therefore, young creatives have teamed together in recent years to launch initiatives that offer gathering places for art enthusiasts and give them access to resources for developing their skills and putting their ideas into action. For instance, art galleries have been created or workshops for young filmmakers and authors have been offered, in addition to theater productions and social media projects.
"Cultural Networks Yemen" supports this vibrant environment and gives young people the tools they need to hone their ideas and put new projects into action. In order to achieve this, already established networks are being widened and Yemeni creatives who are active in the community are receiving additional training in cultural management. They are also supported by local and regional mentors who can attend to their requirements. A production fund also offers funding assistance to chosen projects for long-term execution.
The decentralized approach is particularly important here: When selecting the projects to be supported, besides the suitability of their content, care is taken to ensure that they take place in different regions of Yemen, that they relate to different art disciplines, and that at least half of the participants are women. In this way, connections can be made, and spaces created that enable inclusion and social participation.
"Cultural Networks Yemen" is a project of the Goethe-Institut, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
