Paper short abstract:

As copyright piracy has undermined the financial viability of the Ivoirian music industry, concerts have become a source of income for artists. This paper examines the strategies of cultural entrepreneurs in the creation of new live venues which are reviving Abidjan as an African creative city.

Paper long abstract:

Within twelve years of its emergence as a musical style at the University of Abidjan residence in Yopougon in 1991, the fame of zouglou music soared across borders and continents. Zouglou music is predominantly locally produced and recorded, and pirated CDs and VCDs dominate the market. These informal modes of circulation have contributed to its diffusion, while at the same time undermining the financial viability of the Ivoirian music industry. Widespread copyright piracy has put enormous financial pressure on Ivoirian record labels: in late 2008, Showbiz, Côte d'Ivoire's largest record label that housed up to 80 percent of releases closed down. A large number of smaller labels have also closed due to bankruptcy. Due to piracy, Ivoirian artists have also experienced difficulty in surviving financially from their music. Concerts and performances have become a major source of income. Yet until recently Ivoirian artists (especially of the genres zouglou and coupé décalé) performed primarily via play-back. Performances were hampered by the lack of appropriate venues and the high cost of existing venues: Abidjan's showcase concert venue, the Palais de la Culture, is the most expensive of its kind in West Africa. However, recently there has been a new development: many new maquis (open air restaurants) have opened as new affordable performance spaces in which artists perform live, rather than via play-back. This paper will examine these new performance spaces in the Ivoirian music economy as well as the role of cultural entrepreneurs in reviving Abidjan as an African creative city.