The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) held its first in-person workshop in Yemen this February as part of The Cultural Atelier in Yemen, a two-year program supported by UNESCO and funded by the European Union. Hosted in Aden, the workshop brought together local civil society organizations for training, mentorship, and discussions on sustainability in the arts and culture sector.

Part of UNESCO’s Youth and Employment Through Heritage and Culture project, The Cultural Atelier in Yemen provides space and resources for organizations to assess their resources, audience engagement, and stakeholder relationships. It encourages them to explore new approaches, and learn from peers navigating similar challenges. It also fosters collaboration between Yemeni institutions and international partners to strengthen cultural networks.

Safaa Al Watari, one of the workshop’s experts, noted that “the biggest challenges that civil society organizations face are weak infrastructure and the political instability caused by war. For some Yemenis, thinking about culture is seen as a luxury.” Palestinian cultural policy and development researcher Fatin Farhat echoed this, noting that "Yemen has been culturally and geographically isolated from the Arab region due to political reasons—a challenge I can relate to, as the independent cultural sector in Palestine has faced similar struggles."

After years of isolation, Yemen’s cultural community is reclaiming its space on both regional and international platforms, and AFAC’s first in-person workshop in Yemen marks a significant step toward supporting the local arts and culture sector amid ongoing challenges brought by years of conflict and economic instability.

The workshop addressed institutional development, financial planning, and project management, offering mentorship and regional expertise. For many participants, it was a chance to exchange knowledge and refine their long-term vision. Ammar Bamataraf, founder and director of the Socotra Planet for Environment and Heritage Foundation, shared: "The workshop was invaluable, raising our awareness on aspects we had previously overlooked, such as institutional development, governance, and policy-making.” He added that the training has motivated his team to pursue growth, stating, “It has sparked great enthusiasm in us to apply for projects, seek funding, and expand our future activities.”

With participants from Aden to Socotra and Taiz to Hadramout, the workshop reflected Yemen’s diverse cultural landscape, and created space for underrepresented voices, including women-led initiatives. Each of the 16 participating institutions represented a different facet of Yemen’s rich artistic heritage and evolving cultural landscape, but shared a common goal—strengthening Yemen’s cultural and creative economy despite ongoing challenges.

As the first step in a broader initiative, the training laid the groundwork for further learning, collaboration and growth. With two more workshops planned, the program will build on insights from this initial session, offering more in-depth training, new funding opportunities, and stronger networking and collaboration efforts.

Beyond capacity-building, The Cultural Atelier in Yemen aims to strengthen the country’s cultural sector by encouraging artistic expression and creative industry development. Aseel Ehab from Boncast for Culture shared: "I hope that, over time, the sector becomes truly active and influential, especially as it is currently in a phase of recovery and will continue to evolve Culture and the arts play a crucial role in driving societal progress and renewal. I hope we can shape, influence, and lead the cultural movement in the country, working alongside the government sector, which I also hope will advance and become more progressive."

Looking ahead, cultural practitioners in Yemen will continue to face both challenges and opportunities. Building sustainable creative industries requires continued support, funding, and institutional development. This workshop has shown that the talent, passion, and vision for a thriving arts sector already exists—what is needed now is an environment that enables growth and sustainability.