Artists as Urban Catalysts
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The company’s for-profit vision for a “Downtown for all” sought to
entrance to the building was thought to be undesirable, though the
capitalize on two trends that Shafei states Al Ismaelia identified as early
cinema’s patrons, who come in large numbers from all over Cairo, now
as 2008: the “Egyptianization of Egypt, and a move by the contemporary
make up a significant portion of customers at a local coffee shop situated
art scene back into Downtown.” They were particularly interested in
in the passageway.
making disused buildings active, such as the conversion of the Radio Theater into the studio for Bassem Youssef’s TV show Al-Bernameg, and
Shazli suggested that Zawya’s unexpected success at the box office has
later Abla Fahita. They further sought to tap into the arts scene to attract
proven the commercial potential of arthouse movies, and has shown how
people to Downtown, through the co-establishment with Studio Emad
creative activities can transform and sustain thriving urban environments.
Eddin of the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF), and the
He said that even though their business model mainly focuses on
renting of spaces to artists and art organizations.
box office revenues, Zawya still relies on a wide range of corporate sponsorships. Shazli said Zawya is considering expanding to another,
Shafei stressed that Al Ismaelia is a profit-seeking company, but that they
larger location, and is currently searching for another Downtown venue.
are committed to engaging with other stakeholders in the development of Downtown. He argued that a viable business model is the only way
The discussion highlighted the role of artistic and architectural
to preserve Downtown’s urban fabric, since the neighborhood cannot
interventions in the urban regeneration of decaying or underserved
continue to rely on government renovation funds or personal individual
neighborhoods, critically examining the interests and positions of both
donations. He put forward Al Ismaelia’s vision for the future: to encourage
real estate developers and civil society organizations. This set the
the creation of a NGO or board of trustees that would oversee the
stage for the conference panels that followed, which engaged the role
responsible development of Downtown for all Egyptians.
of government and small businesses in Downtown’s development.
Rounding off the discussion was Youssef Shazli of the relatively young alternative cinema venture, Zawya. Launched in March 2014 as a project under Misr International Films, the arthouse cinema set up shop in the smallest hall of Cinema Odeon, and has a separate entrance from the cinema’s back door in a Downtown alley. Originally, this secondary