The Recording Academy Announces Expansion into Middle East & Africa

The Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards, has recently signed agreements with Ministries of Culture and key stakeholders within the Middle East and Africa region, including Saudi Arabia and UAE, as part of a larger strategy to take its mission internationally and support music creators on a global scale. 

‘We are committed to fostering a truly global music community, where creators at every stage of their careers and from every corner of the world, have the resources and support needed to thrive’ Panos A. Panay, Recording Academy president, said in the announcement. Under these agreements, the Academy aims to bolster its presence and services in the Middle East and Africa’s burgeoning music industry through launching various initiatives. The initiatives include providing talents with the necessary resources to produce original content that celebrates their rich musical heritages, as well as enhanced training through the Academy’s online learning platform, GRAMMY GO, including educational programmes specifically tailored to the needs of each talent. 

The initiatives also feature advocating for strong Intellectual Property (IP) legislation and protections for music creators, fostering cross-cultural learning opportunities for existing and future members, along with developing the creative economy within Africa and the Middle East through partnerships. The Academy will also be publishing several reports highlighting insights into these regions’ music markets.  Over the past few years, the Academy’s leaders have traveled throughout the MENA region along with South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Kenya, participating in listening sessions, receiving high-level briefings, tours and demonstrations, in addition to obtaining insights directly from both governmental ministries and music creators. 

This expansion marks a significant shift from the Recording Academy’s original charter, as well as the first phase of the Academy’s plan to support music creators abroad.