Ettijahat-Independent Culture

What Ettijahat-Independent Culture does

Ettijahat-Independent Culture is a private nonprofit cultural organisation founded in 2011 and headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, with programmes spanning Syria, the broader Arab region, and Europe/Turkey. It operates an integrated ecosystem of approximately 18 programmes organised into three strategic areas — Support (Laboratory of Arts, Life, Rawabet, Zad, Narratives of Today), Empower (Ajyal, SANAD, Research, Maharat), and Share (Sobol, Douroub, Naseej) — plus the MINA forum, AMAKEN physical spaces, Create Syria, and the Art Lives emergency initiative. Its core function is grant-making and capacity-building for Syrian and Arab independent artists, cultural practitioners, and cultural entities, with grant sizes ranging from €2,500 (Naseej collaborations) to $10,000 (Laboratory of Arts, theatre/cinema).

The business model is foundation- and institutional-grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue is derived from a diverse portfolio of international funders including Ford Foundation, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Allianz, British Council, Goethe Institute, Stichting DOEN, France Embassy in Syria, Robert Bosch Organization, and Mophradat. Programmes are distributed through a dedicated e-application portal (applications.ettijahat.org), open calls with periodic deadlines, AMAKEN partner cultural spaces in Beirut (Sunflower, Fabrika, Studio Koon), and partner-organisation amplification networks. Beneficiary segments include Syrian individual artists, Syrian cultural entities and collectives, Arab-region artists more broadly (with priority for displaced, LGBTQ, single-parent, and refugee practitioners), and Arab artists relocated to Europe.

Technically, the organisation is not technology-led. Its infrastructure comprises a custom e-application portal for grant submissions, a content-managed bilingual (Arabic/English) website, a Facebook presence for announcements, and programme-specific email channels (grants@, applications@, sanad@, amaken@, artlives@, e-application@). Delivery is augmented by partnerships with The Legal Agenda (Lebanon) and Nouross (Germany) for legal services, and with Saint-Joseph University and Mamdouh Adwan Publishing House for research and publication outputs. Headcount is 13 employees as of the most recent reporting period.

Name

Ettijahat-Independent Culture

Legal name

Ettijahat-Independent Culture

Website

https://ettijahat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ettijahat-Independent Culture is a Beirut-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that funds, trains, and provides legal and mobility support to Syrian and Arab independent artists and cultural entities through ~18 grant programmes and partner networks across the Arab region and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Development and Arts Grantmaking Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts & Culture Appreciation (Art History, Film Appreciation, Music Appreciation) (EDAAAGAO), Localization, Translation & Cultural Adaptation for Learning Content (EDAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Arts grant funding
• Cultural support programs
• Artist mobility funding
• Cultural policy research
• Independent arts development

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Institutional Funding: Ettijahat operates as a grant-giving organization funded by international foundations and institutional donors. Revenue comes from grants and donations rather than product/service sales. Major funders include Ford Foundation, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Allianz, France Embassy in Syria, Stichting DOEN, British Council, Goethe Institute, and other international cultural development organizations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ettijahat-Independent Culture operates a multi-programme cultural support ecosystem for Syrian and Arab independent artists and cultural entities. It distributes direct grants, legal aid, equipped workspaces, research funding, capacity building, and audience engagement opportunities across disciplines including theater, cinema, visual arts, music, literature, and cultural research. Programmes are funded by international foundations and delivered through periodic open calls, partner institutions, and dedicated workspaces in Lebanon, Syria, Europe, and Turkey.

Product overview

Ettijahat-Independent Culture operates a multi-module cultural support ecosystem rather than a single product. The organization offers approximately 18 distinct programmes organized across three strategic areas: Support (Area One: Laboratory of Arts, Life, Rawabet, Zad, Narratives of Today), Empower (Area Two: Ajyal, SANAD, Research, Maharat), and Share (Area Three: Sobol, Douroub, Naseej). Additional initiatives include Art Lives (emergency COVID-19 support), MINA (artistic forums), AMAKEN (space provision), Create Syria (community arts), and the E-Application Portal for grant management. These programmes collectively support Syrian and Arab artists across production, education, legal support, capacity building, research, and cultural heritage preservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Laboratory of Arts Production grants programme providing funding to Syrian and Arab artists across theater, cinema, visual arts, music, and other disciplines, with annual cycles and partnership support from Goethe Institute.
• Life Initiative Operational and institutional support programme for Syrian cultural entities and artistic collectives working within Syria and the diaspora, with editions from 2021 onward.
• Zad: Miles for Connection Mobility support programme for Arab artists residing in Europe, covering travel, accommodation, transportation, artwork shipping, and translation services between European countries and Turkey.
• SANAD Legal Support Programme Legal and knowledge-based support programme for displaced artists and cultural practitioners, providing legal consultation, financial assistance for residency procedures, and knowledge resources on legal frameworks, with operations in Lebanon and Germany.
• Ajyal Arts Education Programme Arts education programme supporting students and emerging artists in the Syrian region through annual cycles, including a joint edition with Saint-Joseph University of Beirut.
• Research Programme Academic research programme strengthening knowledge production on Syrian cultural policies, publishing research papers on cultural policy analysis, transitional contexts, cultural governance, justice, and cultural economics.
• Maharat Capacity Building Programme Capacity building programme for cultural practitioners covering skills development, business models, and sustainability training for performance art clusters across Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine.
• Douroub Intangible Cultural Heritage Programme Programme promoting Syrian intangible cultural heritage preservation and transmission using artistic approaches, focused on vulnerable communities and cultural memory sharing.
• Sobol Artistic Resources Artistic resources series featuring video content on dramaturgy and Syrian fine arts history, providing educational content on artistic practices and cultural heritage.
• Naseej Collaboration Initiative Collaboration initiative enabling cultural and artistic entities in Syria to develop research spaces, partnerships, and audience engagement through touring performances and joint artistic events.
• Narratives of Today Cinema-focused programme supporting film tours and cinematic activities, providing platforms for Syrian filmmakers and supporting film distribution across various regions.
• Rawabet Production Grants Production grants programme for Syrian artists including music production (Rawabet-Music) and performance art (Rawabet-Performance Art) across artistic disciplines.
• Art Lives Initiative Emergency initiative providing healthcare and livelihood support to Arab arts practitioners affected by COVID-19, with partnership support from Ford Foundation, Action For Hope, and Mophradat.
• MINA: Artistic Ports and Passages Forum Forum celebrating Syrian artists' work through theatrical, cinematic, visual, and musical performances, including seminars on artistic practice issues and project presentations.
• AMAKEN Research, Production and Networking Spaces Project providing equipped physical workspaces in Lebanon for Syrian and Palestinian Syrian artists across theater, cinema, cultural research, and graphic design, through partner institutions Sunflower Cultural Space, Fabrika, and Studio Koon.
• Create Syria Programme Programme strengthening Syrian artists in exile through community arts initiatives, in partnership with British Council, focusing on cooperation between Syrians and host communities.
• Talaqi: Dialogue Space Through the Arts Dialogue space using interactive theater to engage Syrian youth in community discussions on justice and cultural leadership, in partnership with Dawlaty Foundation and Citizens. Artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 115+ artists participated in single MINA edition
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Action For HopecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for the Art Lives Initiative, an emergency project to support artistic practitioners in the Arab Region affected by COVID-19, providing healthcare and livelihood support.
• MophradatcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for the Art Lives Initiative to support Arab arts practitioners facing economic and health challenges from COVID-19.
• British CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership for the Create Syria program, a project designed to strengthen Syrian artists in exile through initiatives that empower them to play leading roles in improving living conditions. The program focuses on community arts and social change.
• Goethe InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partnership for the Laboratory of Arts program, which provides grants to artists in theater, cinema, and other artistic disciplines. The program has supported artistic production since 2014.
• The Legal Agenda (المفكرة القانونية)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for the SANAD legal support program in Lebanon. The Legal Agenda provides legal consultation services through specialized lawyers addressing artists' legal issues including residency, professional partnerships, and work permits.
• Nouross (مؤسسة نورس)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for SANAD program activities in Germany, specifically for regular meetings in Berlin aimed at enhancing legal knowledge of the work environment for Arab region artists.
• International Alumni Center (iac)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for SANAD program activities in Germany, contributing to capacity building for artists' self-organization.
• Sunflower Cultural SpacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner space in Beirut providing training spaces for performing arts including theatre, dance, and some musical projects as part of AMAKEN initiative.
• FabrikacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner space in Beirut providing workspaces and facilities including a newly installed recording studio for music production projects as part of AMAKEN initiative.
• Studio KooncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner space in Beirut providing creative workspaces for artists and researchers as part of AMAKEN initiative.
• AFAQ (آفاق) - HorizonsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder partner for the 'Decade of Arts' research publication series, collaborating on 14 research papers about Syria and the Arab region published in 2024.
• Arab Council for Social SciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in establishing the 'Decade of Arts' research publication cycle, contributing to academic rigor of cultural research in Arabic.
• Mamdouh Adwan Publishing House (دار ممدوح عدوان للنشر)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing partner for 'Decade of Arts' book series, publishing 14 research papers in Arabic about Syrian and Arab region arts and culture.
• Saint-Joseph University in Beirut (جامعة القدّيس يوسف في بيروت)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication partner for research papers through the Institution for Theatre, Audiovisual and Cinematographic Studies (Regards journal), publishing 6 research papers exploring artistic transformation in Arabic with English translation.
• Dawlaty FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Talaqi project for dialogue through arts, targeting young Syrians in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Daraa, and Tartous for interactive theater and transitional justice training.
• Citizens. ArtistsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Talaqi project supporting youth engagement through interactive theater and community dialogue spaces in Syrian cities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• British Council: UK international organization for cultural relations. Strategic partner of Ettijahat on Create Syria programme. Comparable in supporting displaced Syrian artists but with a much broader global arts portfolio.
• Goethe-Institut: Germany's international cultural institute, a major funder and strategic partner of Ettijahat on the Laboratory of Arts programme and MINA Forum. Comparable in supporting cultural exchange with Arab artists but operates globally across all disciplines.

Regional players

• Doha Film Institute: Qatar-based organization supporting Arab and international cinema through grants, festivals, and educational programmes. Overlaps with Ettijahat's cinema support (Narratives of Today, Laboratory of Arts cinema category) but operates from and primarily serves the Gulf.

Direct peers

• Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC): Beirut-based independent foundation providing grants to individuals and institutions in the fields of arts and culture across the Arab world. Closest direct functional peer: same geography, same grant-making focus, similar multi-disciplinary support model.
• Prince Claus Fund: Dutch foundation that supports artists and cultural practitioners in developing countries, with explicit focus on conflict-affected regions. Comparable in providing grants and awards to artists in the Arab region, including displaced communities.
• Mophradat: Brussels-based nonprofit that funds and supports artists, writers, and cultural practitioners from the Arab world. Co-partnered with Ettijahat on the Art Lives Initiative, indicating directly comparable mission, beneficiary base, and grant-making model.
• Action For Hope: NGO providing emergency relief and long-term support to artists and cultural communities in crisis-affected Arab countries. Co-partnered on Art Lives; comparable in mission, regional focus on crisis-affected artists, and grant/programmatic structure.
• Culture Resource (Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafy): Cairo-based nonprofit supporting independent culture in the Arab region through grants, research, and cultural exchange programmes. Directly comparable mission, regional scope, and programmatic structure to Ettijahat.

Emerging players

• Shubbak Festival: London-based biennial festival showcasing contemporary Arab culture, with associated artist support and commissioning programmes. Comparable focus on elevating contemporary Arab artists in the UK/European context where Ettijahat's Zad is also active.

Others

• Al Mawred Cultural Resource Foundation: Syrian-origin foundation that provided the initial establishment grant for Ettijahat in 2011 (under its 'Ibara' programme). Heritage stakeholder and ecosystem ancestor rather than active operational peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Ettijahat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ettijahat-independent-culture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ettijahat-Independent Culture