Materahub’s commitment across the Mediterranean region continues. In October, we participated as trainers in the second edition of CREAMed, the course we co-curated with the Cypriot Organization for European Programmes and Cultural Relations (OEPCR). Together with the Anna Lindh Foundation and the British Council Office for Greece and Cyprus, we crafted a hands-on training programme for cultural and creative professionals from across the Euro-Mediterranean region.
To keep the excitement flowing as we gear up for a new edition in Cyprus, from February 7–9, we sat down with Mohamed Abdel Dayem — Creative Economy Advisor, Founder of Creative People Consulting Agency, and former Assistant Minister at the Egyptian Ministry of Culture — for a lively conversation about creativity, culture, and the Mediterranean’s future.
Can you tell us about your background and what led you to work in cultural management? What does this field represent for you today?
I often describe the arts, culture, and creative sector as my purpose rather than my business, a distinction that best reflects how I approach my work. Culture, for me, is neither a side activity nor a luxury; it is a long-term commitment to people, societies, and sustainable development – as I explain in my article My Business vs. My Purpose, a creative career can be driven by values just as much as by professional ambition.
This is because, as I have frequently said, the creative sector is a big elephant in the room: a deeply underestimated field that nonetheless offers innovative and scalable solutions to some of today’s most pressing social and economic challenges. Take Egypt as an example: in one of the world’s oldest civilisations, tourism remains a key economic driver, and our demographic structure reflects a large and youthful labour force. Despite Egypt welcoming around 17 million tourists annually, this figure represents only a fraction of what the country is truly capable of achieving given its cultural depth and creative potential. Unlocking this potential requires strategic cultural management, long-term investment, and ecosystem thinking. And this plays a vital role in shaping a country’s contemporary image, attracting repeat tourism and global engagement, as seen in countries such as Italy, France, the UK, and South Korea.
Looking back at my own path, my professional journey spans nearly 25 years across Egypt, Italy, the United States, South Korea, and Qatar. Each experience has reinforced my belief that culture extends far beyond identity or artistic expression; it is a strategic driver of economic development, social resilience, and human dignity. I began my career in arts management and gradually moved into roles that required building and coordinating entire cultural ecosystems—connecting public institutions, creative entrepreneurs, civil society, and international partners. This evolution naturally led me to view cultural management as more than a profession. For me, it is a lifelong commitment to creating environments in which people, ideas, and institutions can truly thrive.
You recently participated in the course “Building Entrepreneurial, Transversal and Digital Competences for Creative and Cultural Sectors & Industries (CCSI) Professionals in the Euro-Mediterranean region,” curated by Materahub. Could you tell us about your experience and how it has influenced your work?
When I first learned about the program, I was immediately drawn to it. Having lived in Rome between 2003 and 2005, I am deeply familiar with Italian culture. My academic background includes the study of art history, I have visited virtually every major museum in Italy, and I speak fluent Italian. For these reasons, I have long considered the Italian model of arts and cultural management to be exceptional, particularly in how it successfully balances commercialization with social and cultural impact. In this context, I viewed Materahub as an ideal knowledge partner for such a program. The course proved to be a truly invigorating experience for all participants. Materahub brought together a diverse group of practitioners from across the Euro-Mediterranean region, representing different levels of sector maturity and professional backgrounds. The curriculum was both forward-looking and highly practical, seamlessly integrating entrepreneurial thinking, digital readiness, and transversal competencies in a way that genuinely reflects the realities of today’s cultural and creative industries.
For me, the added value was twofold. First, the program reaffirmed my belief that young creative entrepreneurs are one of the region’s greatest assets.
Supporting them is essential, not only to help them succeed, but also to enable them to go beyond the traditional boundaries and achievements of established cultural institutions. Second, the program itself embodied the power of collective intelligence. The exchange with peers was invaluable. Listening to experiences and stories from Cyprus, Italy, Lebanon, Tunisia, and beyond highlighted the immense untapped potential that emerges when silos are dismantled and cross-regional alliances are formed. Human creativity always prevails,it simply needs a nurturing environment in which to flourish.
As part of my participation, I also contributed to the program by delivering a workshop titled “Provenance and Purpose.” In this session, I introduced participants to my 4Ps Model—People, Processes, Purpose, and Provenance, a framework I have developed over the course of my career as both a practitioner and an academic. The model focuses on how creative goods and services can generate value while remaining deeply rooted in meaning, context, and societal impact.
Considering the diverse backgrounds of the course participants, how do you perceive the geographic and cultural differences between cultural management practices in Europe and the Middle East?
Across the Euro-Mediterranean region, I observe far more similarities than differences in how arts and culture are perceived, especially when compared to contexts such as the United States, the United Kingdom, or South Korea.
In much of our region, the arts sector is still largely framed around its social and symbolic value rather than being fully recognised as an economic driver.
Creative goods and services are often treated as non-market commodities and, in some cases, are even expected to be provided free of charge. Artists are generally respected as cultural figures, yet arts education is frequently perceived as a hobby rather than a viable profession. At the same time, a substantial portion of the creative sector operates informally, and many arts institutions remain heavily donor-dependent—sometimes becoming inactive or dormant when funding is unavailable.
These shared perceptions translate into shared challenges. In many respects, we approach arts and culture from the same angles and face similar structural limitations across the region. This is precisely why cooperation is essential. Strengthening the sector requires coordinated efforts to empower creative entrepreneurs, cultural institutions, and policymakers alike, working together to build a more resilient, sustainable, and healthy arts and creative ecosystem.
To conclude, what message would you like to share about the importance of initiatives like this, and how has your experience in the creative sector shaped your perspective?
Initiatives like this are vital because they accelerate capacity building in a sector that often develops more slowly than others. They create shared spaces for knowledge transfer, peer learning, and collaborative problem-solving, elements that are essential for building a resilient, future-ready creative ecosystem. My experience in the creative sector has consistently shown me that real and lasting impact begins with investing in people, their skills, their stories, their ability to collaborate, and their sense of purpose. Whether working with ministries, development partners, cultural institutions, or creative entrepreneurs, I have witnessed how empowered individuals can catalyse transformation at the community level.
Finally, this program resonates deeply with my own purpose and values. I firmly believe that human development must be recognised as a fundamental human right, for every single boy and girl, everywhere in the world.
