National strategy for
Cultural & Creative Industries

Sector estimated to account for five percent of GDP

The Ministry of Culture has launched the country’s first comprehensive National Strategy for Cultural & Creative Industries (CCI) for the years 2026–2031, a shift in how culture is positioned: not just as heritage or identity, but as a structured economic sector capable of driving recovery and growth.

The strategy comes after decades in which the creative sector contributed significantly to the economy estimated at five percent of GDP before the 2019 crises but operated without modern policy frameworks, sector governance, or intellectual property protections. Repeated shocks, including the economic collapse, COVID-19, the Beirut Port explosion, and regional instability, exposed systemic weaknesses and prompted a new strategic approach.

“Resilience alone is no longer enough,” said the Ministry in its report. “Without structural reform, the value generated by culture continues to be informal, fragmented, and captured outside Lebanon.”

Vision rooted in culture and economy
The strategy frames cultural and creative industries as a driver of economic recovery, a custodian of national memory, a tool for social cohesion, and a pillar of international positioning. It sets out a vision of “a living cultural ecosystem rooted in heritage, shaped by its people, protecting memory, uniting society through creativity, and serving as an engine of economic growth.”

Three core ambitions guide the plan
1. Preserve national memory through safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage, risk-aware conservation, and documentation for future generations
2. Strengthen national cohesion by promoting equitable regional access, inclusive narratives, and societal belonging
3. Drive economic growth via sustainable job creation, foreign investment, export capacity, and soft power leverage.

Seven pillars for strategic reform
• Sector governance
• Regulatory streamlining
• Audience access
• Talent and workforce development
• Financial sustainability
• Diaspora activation
• Cultural diplomacy

These pillars aim to address long-standing obstacles such as fragmented governance, outdated legislation, weak financing mechanisms, and insufficient infrastructure.

Phased approach and sector-specific action

Implementation is structured in three phases: immediate launch-ready actions, conditional legal and institutional reforms, and long-term international positioning.

The strategy also includes sector-specific initiatives across nine fields, including heritage, publishing, public libraries, museums, visual arts, performing arts, audiovisual, music, and design. Highlights include:

Heritage New protection laws, special heritage zones, and revenue-generating uses for historic sites
Publishing Revival of the Beirut Book Fair, legal deposit system upgrades, and international IP commercialization
Visual Arts Legal recognition of artists, social protection mechanisms, micro-funding, and export coordination
Museums National museum authority revival, digitization, and rental/concession frameworks.

A Cultural & Creative Index will track sector metrics such as employment, enterprise growth, tourism spillovers, and public-private partnerships, creating a data-driven foundation for policy and investment.

Economic and Global Implications
According to the Ministry, CCIs could contribute four to six percent of GDP, generate future-proof employment, attract foreign currency through exports, and strengthen experiential tourism. The report positions cultural industries as capital-light, high-impact, and internationally competitive.

The strategy’s design reflects extensive stakeholder engagement, including 500 professionals and 20+ workshops, realistic phasing, and an emphasis on enabling frameworks rather than heavy subsidies.

Challenges remain, including political interference, fiscal constraints, coordination across ministries, and the continued risk of brain drain. The Ministry notes that the strategy’s success will depend on consistent execution and legal reform.

Strategic pivot
The National Strategy for Cultural & Creative Industries 2026–2031 marks a structural pivot from cultural survival to cultural productivity, aiming to anchor Lebanon’s recovery in sectors where it already has comparative advantage: heritage, talent, diaspora, and global reputation.

If implemented effectively, the country could emerge as both a regional cultural beacon and a structured creative economy integrated into global value chains, demonstrating how culture can be leveraged as both an economic and social asset.