Country Profile: Lebanon
At the time of writing, Lebanon remains an exceptionally challenging territory for any form of international culture. “We are in the midst of war,” says Richard Pharaon of WE Group. “So the first challenge we face is internal and external security.”
His company is one of the more prominent promoters in the territory, recently responsible for shows by Stomp, Béjart Ballet, and Jean-Michel Jarre, but they are by no means the only operator. Others include Buzz Productions, EventBox, Solicet, and Factory People, a Beirut-based group of artists and music enthusiasts.
“There are new companies with significant resources and not necessarily extensive experience, along with a few older and experienced companies,” says Pharaon.
Alongside security challenges, issues remain around what Pharaon calls “all the unexpected taxes we are facing with our government. Then there’s the local public’s taste and shrinking purchasing power.” He also notes corruption and the influx of Egyptian “idol artists” who sign contracts for “unimaginable fees” as further challenges to be overcome. He…
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