Yemen has been in conflict since 2015, with peace hindered by ongoing violence. The country faces severe humanitarian and development challenges, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to an economic downturn. According to the World Bank’s Yemen Economic Monitor report published in spring 2022, Yemen's economic output drastically declined in 2020, and the GDP was projected to have declined by a further 2 percent in 2021, roughly falling to half its pre-conflict level. The report highlights that the conflict undermines efforts to safeguard human capital and prevent the further deterioration of human development outcomes.

Since the war began, the de facto political split in Yemen has created different legal and bureaucratic frameworks for civil society organizations (CSOs) operations, and security issues restrict their ability to operate. The Supreme Council for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and International Cooperation (SCMCHA), established in 2019, has imposed tighter limitations on CSOs in areas under the de facto control of the authorities in Sana’a. These include lengthy and unpredictable approval procedures, visa restrictions, requirements for permissions to carry out visits and monitor projects, and detention of staff. Due to these difficulties, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have left or are planning to stop operating in those areas. Even in other parts of the country, the regulatory framework and operating environment vary depending on the local authorities in charge. Consequently, donors channel a significant part of their funding through intermediary organizations rather than directly through Yemeni CSOs (Source: EU Roadmap for engagement with civil society in Yemen 2021-2024).

In December 2019, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2021 the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, highlighting the contribution of the creative economy to inclusive, equitable, and sustainable growth and development. The resolution emphasized the importance of art, culture, and creative industries in generating job creation and expanding opportunities for all, especially women and youth.

In June 2021, the European Union (EU) adopted a concept document titled “Cultural Heritage in Conflicts and Crises. A Component for Peace and Security in European Union’s External Action.” This document affirms the EU's belief in culture and cultural heritage as factors contributing to peace, reconciliation, mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue, international solidarity, identities and social cohesion, capacity building, and sustainable development.

During the eight years of Yemen’s conflict, the culture and creative industry has been dramatically affected, resulting in higher unemployment rates, especially among youth, and a scarcity of cultural programming. This context risks radicalizing unemployed and vulnerable youth.

In response, the Goethe-Institut e.V., the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany, has partnered with five organizations: Meem Art Initiative (Meemz) in Mukalla, Aden Again Cultural Foundation in Aden, Basement Cultural Foundation in Sana'a, Your ECHO, a diaspora organization in France and Sweden, and Yemen Art Base, a non-profit digital organization. Together, they proposed a 24-month intervention, awarded with a grant through the Call for Proposals “EU support to Civil Society in Yemen”, published in February 2021. The intervention began its activities in April 2022.