A Guide on Funding the Creative & Cultural Industries

In this episode, we're thrilled to feature two remarkable guests, Mounir Hentati and Zied Mehdi, who will share their unique relationship with music. Mounir Hentati is a distinguished music historian, curator, and was the leader of the Centre for Arab and Mediterranean Music. He's dedicated his career to preserving and promoting regional musical heritage, bridging tradition and innovation and heightened global recognition of this art form. And, we're also joined by Zied Mehdi, a Tunisian oud player and composer who's a master of mālūf, popular songs, Arabic, and Turkish classical music. Zied's unique compositions blend traditional North African music with contemporary nuances, showcasing his commitment to expanding the horizons of music. Join us in this episode as Mounir and Zied share their stories, experiences, and insights, revealing the transformational nature of music and its impact on Tunis's creative and cultural industries. Stay tuned for a compelling conversation about the power of music, commitment, and passion.

This episode is part of the Tunis Creative and Cultural Industries series, a byproduct of Silverline's creative retreats initiative.

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Welcome to the first episode of our exciting new series, "Tunisian Tales: Unveiling Creativity and Culture." In this inaugural installment, we have the pleasure of speaking with Leila Ben Gacem, a remarkable Tunisian social entrepreneur who has left an indelible mark on her country's cultural and creative industry.

Leila, the founder of Blue Fish company, has been a driving force behind numerous initiatives within the Tunisian ecosystem and cultural scenes through Tunisian Civil Society. Her visionary leadership has not only nurtured the growth of cultural and creative economy ecosystems but also fostered a sense of passion and pride for Tunisia and its people.

Throughout this episode, we delve deep into Leila's journey as a creator and advocate for the creative industries. From her tireless efforts to raise awareness and lobby for their presence across diverse sectors of society, Leila's impact as a social entrepreneur is undeniable.

Join us as Leila Bengacem shares her insights, experiences, and the challenges she has encountered while spearheading a cultural revolution in Tunisia. Through her unique perspective, we gain a fascinating glimpse into the rich tapestry of Tunisian culture and the vibrant creative minds that shape its landscape.

Whether you're a lover of culture, an aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the creative industry, this episode promises to be an enlightening and inspiring conversation. Get ready to embark on a journey through the heart and soul of Tunisia with Leila Ben Gacem on "Tunisian Tales: Unveiling Creativity and Culture."

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In this captivating episode of our podcast, we delve into the remarkable career of Marwan Hamed, a visionary filmmaker known for his artistry, versatility, and commitment to storytelling. Join us as we explore his background, his creative motivations, and the delicate balancing act he undertakes to meet audience expectations, commercial needs, and his own artistic integrity.

Marwan Hamed, renowned for his critically acclaimed films such as "The Yacoubian Building" and "The Blue Elephant," has left an indelible mark on the film industry. Through intimate conversations, we uncover the influences and experiences that shaped his unique perspective and ignited his passion for filmmaking.

Discover how Marwan Hamed's background, upbringing, and personal journey have influenced his artistic choices. We explore the pivotal moments and experiences that set him on this creative path, including his encounters with various cultures, literary works, and human stories. Gain insight into the underlying philosophy that drives his dedication to the craft, as he shares his unwavering commitment to authenticity and emotional resonance.

As we dive deeper into the conversation, we explore how Marwan Hamed meticulously selects his projects. Learn about his thoughtful approach to storytelling and the themes that captivate his imagination. We explore his collaborations with talented actors, screenwriters, and cinematographers, highlighting the unique synergy that drives his projects to excellence.

But the path to success is not without its challenges. Join us as Marwan Hamed candidly discusses the delicate balance he navigates between audience expectations, commercial needs, and his artistic vision. Discover how he manages to strike a chord with audiences while staying true to his creative instincts, and how he continuously challenges himself to push boundaries and break new ground in the film industry.

Finally, we delve into what it means for Marwan Hamed to continue evolving in the ever-changing landscape of filmmaking. We explore his exploration of new genres, styles, and storytelling techniques, and how he embraces innovation while staying rooted in his passion for authentic and emotionally engaging narratives. Gain valuable insights into his thoughts on adapting to new technologies and formats, and how he views the future of cinema.

Join us for this inspiring episode as we unravel the captivating journey of Marwan Hamed, a visionary filmmaker who continues to make an impact on the film industry with his craftsmanship, dedication to storytelling, and unwavering commitment to artistic growth.

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As the UAE readies itself for its energetic art season, we’re here today with Vilma Jurkute. Vilma has dedicated her career to developing creative industries across New York, Chicago, London and Dubai. She joined Alserkal in 2012 and, in her time with the organisation, she has been instrumental in its evolution and responsible for overseeing Alserkal Avenue’s physical expansion of US$20 million in 2015. Since its launch, it has become a key cultural destination for the MENASA region, housing more than 60 most prominent contemporary art galleries, community and creative spaces. Vilma has also been the driving force behind Alserkal’s non-profit activities in the arts, which were formalised under Alserkal Arts Foundation in 2019, affirming the organisation’s commitment to artistic production, scholarship and research. 

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How can Soft Power be measured? What value does it have in nation-building? How are the ambassadors of the creative economy taking this burden on board with all of the challenges they face from economic and political upheavals globally?

Continuing our theme on “Application”, we’re thrilled to host Matteo El Khodr. Matteo is one of the Arab world’s first countertenors. His bel canto sections are ornamented, strong, complicated, dramatic, beautiful, sorrowful, and gentle and fierce. El-Khodr learned the singing style of Francesco Tosi, author of the first historical book on vocal technique, which gave a unique look at the technical and social components of Baroque vocal music. He has thrived on his vocal timbre and color nuances, notably in castrati arias, without overplaying his parts or adding aesthetic tricks to moving arias. Matteo graced local, regional and international stages, charming royalties and the general public with his captivating voice.

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In our previous episodes, we covered Transformation, Experimentation, Conceptualisation within the Creative and Cultural Industries. In this episode, we mark the beginning of a new theme: Application. Creativity is at its most successful when a spark of an idea is bandied about and then fully developed. Ultimately what we hope to gain as a community is a variety of tangible and impactful solutions.

And who better to represent Application within the CCI sectors than our dear friend and CCI guardian, Ouafa Belgacem! Ouafa is an expert in cultural and creative projects fundraising. She is also a researcher interested in topics related with arts and culture financing and cultural policies in the MENA and Africa Regions. She is the founder of Culture Funding Watch, a leading enterprise dedicated to capacity building and intelligence gathering and monitoring art and culture financial support and to support of Art and Creative enterprises in the MENA and Africa. 

With Ouafa, we uncover the challenges, myths, hurdles and opportunities that lay ahead for the CCI sectors and crack the code to sustainable funding for the creative economies.

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Continuing our theme on “Conceptualisation”, we’re here today with Utkarsh Amitabh. Utkarsh is the founder and CEO of Network Capital (networkcapital.tv), one of the world’s largest career intelligence communities. He's also the CMO of 5ire, a blockchain ecosystem for Impact & SDG-related development, to help accelerate the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He is a writer at Harvard Business Review, Chevening Fellow at University of Oxford and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper who represented the community at the Annual Meeting in Davos. His new book “The Seductive Illusion of Hard Work” has become a global best seller. He also writes for Mint, Economic Times and World Economic Forum.

With Utkarsh, we draw on the current employment trends, what's his take on The Passion Economy, its relation to the Cultural and Creative Industries and where does Web3.0 fit into all of this.

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We kick off our new theme for our podcast series: Conceptualisation. And who better to launch this with than Matthias Hollwich, one of architecture’s most visionary practitioners. Matthias leads the global architectural firm HWKN, a NY-based collective of architects, sculptors, social strategists and innovators dedicated to use architecture to shape a better world. He was honored in Fast Company’s ranking of the world’s Top 10 Most Innovative Architects and in Business Insider’s list of Top Business Visionaries. Matthias' latest book, New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever, suggests a new way to think about aging that fundamentally changes the way we design for it. His lectures on architecture, sustainability, and innovation have been featured at TED, PICNIC, Stelka, and the Conscious City Conferences. 

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Continuing our theme on “Experimentation”, we sat with Saleh Kayyali, an experience designer based in London. Saleh spent most of his professional life doing multidisciplinary design, startup consultancy, and content production. He enjoys concept-building and tinkering with gadgets. And when the time permits, he enjoys writing to build interactive stories and games, podcast, and design perfumes! Currently, Saleh is a Senior Experience Designer at London Stock Exchange Labs. With his diverse background and experience in multiple disciplines, you can see why he is a great candidate to speak of “experimentation”, what triggers his interest, and how does he think we can build a culture of curiosity.

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We kick off our theme on “Experimentation”, celebrating and encouraging one of the fundamental building blocks of creativity and culture, with none other than one of the world’s leading aesthetes, Nada Debs.  Nada is a Lebanese designer living and working in Beirut. Her work spans scale and discipline: from product and furniture design to one-off commissions across craft, art, fashion and interiors. What ties her work together is her ability to distill culture and craftsmanship to create pieces of emotional resonance. In essence, she captures the power of the human hand to tell stories that touch the heart. She calls her approach: handmade and heartmade.

https://www.nadadebs.com/en/home

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