The Transformations of the Performing Arts in Egypt: Independent Theatre History and Activism as a Model of Transforming Cultural Policy and Legislation

The book starts with a social and cultural overview of the history of per-forming arts in Egypt until the beginning of the 20th century. The birth of the professional and institutionalised theatre and the connections with the foreign political domination until 1952 with the transformation of the ruling system into a republic. The state-owned theatre, its discourse, role and functions from the 1950's to the end of the 1960's and the socio-political conditions and legislative foundation. The rise of capitalism and the open market economy in 1970's till 1980's and its impact on the flour-ishing of the commercial theatre.
The study then moves towards focusing on the period from the 1980's till end of 1990's, the rise of the university theatre groups and students' movement as a political and cultural form of activism against the regime and the fundamentalist thinking. The relation of the gulf war in 1990 to-wards the development of the university theatre into professional theatre. The history of the independent performing arts movement from 1990's to 2010 as a model of transforming cultural production/management. The role of foreign cultural policy in supporting the development of the inde-pendent performing arts, and the creation of the Cairo Opera House and the Hanager Arts Centre.
The focus then goes to the analysis of the events of the revolution of 25 January 2011, the artists' advocacy and its forms, the lobbying and pres-sure groups from the independent performing arts scene to create new laws to support independent cultural productions and cultural justice, and to guarantee the basic connections to the articles of the human rights convention related to culture and the arts. In 2015 comes the establish-ment of the "Unit for the Support of Independent Theatre" which is con-sidered as a turning point in Egypt's legislation and perspective in the arts and cultural/political rights. The book concludes with a proposal for cultural policy in Egypt with a special focus on how to provide stability, freedom and growth for the independent theatre sector.