The issue of "artistic unemployment" has resurfaced in Egypt, sparking debate about some artists turning to other professions. This emerged when actor Rami Nader announced his desire to work outside the artistic field, stating he is looking for a stable opportunity for an office job, and asked his followers on Facebook to help him find a job opportunity.

Actor Rami Nader topped the trends on Google in Egypt on Friday after writing on his Facebook account that he is looking for an office or home-based job for any number of hours, showcasing his skills and proficiency, especially in computer and technology, and his level of English.

Rami Nader has participated in more than 20 dramatic works and films, in addition to dozens of theatrical works. Among the works he participated in are films "Alf Mabrouk", "Tek Tek Boom", "Taweezat Tu", and "Harg wa Marg", and series "Ragel wa Set Settat", "Hekayat Al Banat", "Harmet ya Baba", "Al-Lo'ba", "Al-Saffara", "Karetha Tabi'eyya", and "Tamer wa Shawqeyya".

The specter of unemployment continues to haunt artists, as evident in many cases and complaints previously declared by other artists due to the scarcity or lack of opportunities offered to them. Among them are Maha Ahmed, Fadi Khafaga, and Reda Hamed. Actor Tawfiq Abdel Hamid announced his retirement in refusal to play recurring roles. A controversy arose over rumors that he was forced to turn his car into a taxi, which he denied in televised statements, saying the incident dates back to the 1990s.

Actor Sherif Khairallah had announced his intention to work as a taxi driver for fear of accumulating debt, as he stayed away from art for several years after being ignored, with no artistic work offered to him.

Egyptian art critic Tarek El-Shennawy sees that this phenomenon is not new, as many artists in all fields, whether actors, singers, directors, photographers, or editors, have suffered from this before. He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: "But the phenomenon is more present now due to the spread of social media, following these complaints, and their prominence in public interest."

He continued that the problem stems from "some artists distancing themselves from the scene for reasons related to themselves or the artistic situation that does not accommodate, contain, or welcome them at a certain moment, while demand increases for existing names that have already achieved popularity, repeated out of laziness by some production companies or directors, or as a bet on what is popularly demanded in that period."

El-Shennawy gives examples of artists like Mostafa Ghareeb and Michel Milad, saying they are in demand these days, while other names of comedians who achieved notable successes fade simply because the current artistic climate demands specific names. El-Shennawy rules out any deliberate exclusion of artists by production companies, given the multiplicity of production entities, although one entity may dominate the largest share, diversity remains.

In this context, previous statements by the head of the Egyptian Actors Syndicate, Ashraf Zaki, confirmed he had taken many measures to solve the problem of employing actors, even though the syndicate is not obligated to employ its members. Earlier, the United Media Services Company announced the signing of a cooperation protocol with the Egyptian Company for Media Production City and the Acting Professions Syndicate to produce a group of historical and religious works, and to implement a mechanism to benefit from artists who have not had opportunities to participate in works in recent years, involving them in television and radio dramas.

Ashraf Zaki, head of the Actors Syndicate (Instagram)

Egyptian art critic Mohamed Abdel Rahman sees that "this crisis never ends; it has existed since the beginnings of the artistic movement in Egypt." He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: "When the spotlight fades on some artists, they face financial crises, thus turning to other professions. Some artists do not have other skills to work outside art, and here the tragedy begins." He continued: "This is a message to young artists to have financial security because roles may dwindle. The issue touches the heart, but it is a reality in all creative professions, and solutions are not about seeking job opportunities, because supply exceeds demand. Moreover, assigning roles is primarily subject to the director's and producer's vision, to the extent that one actor may be requested for ten roles, while these roles could be distributed among ten actors, but this is ultimately the producer's and director's decision. Therefore, actors must prepare for this and the fluctuations of the artistic field."

The Acting Professions Syndicate in Egypt includes about 4,000 members and undertakes important service roles, including health care for artists, establishing a home for elderly artists, and making active moves to secure actors' right to public performance royalties, claiming it will ensure a continuous and semi-steady income for actors and directors to counter any periods of recession they may face.