PENCILS

Shaping today’s creativity.

We design strategies, systems and media for the creative economy.

We help funders, institutions, companies and creative organizations turn complex cultural and media challenges into strategies, programs, products and operating models.

Manifesto

The creative economy is no longer a sector. It is infrastructure.

Culture, media, education, technology and public policy now shape how societies learn, imagine, organize and grow. PENCILS helps organizations navigate this shift with strategy, research, editorial clarity and field-tested innovation.

Bring us in when

The challenge is complex, creative and strategic.

We are useful when a project needs more than messaging: it needs structure, intelligence, operating logic and a clear next move.

01

You need to map an ecosystem before funding, investing or launching a program.

02

You need to transform a cultural, creative or media organization.

03

You need to design a media product, editorial system or audience strategy.

04

You need to turn a cultural project into a viable business model.

05

You want to use AI without losing strategic, editorial or human control.

Strategic practices

Four practices for shaping creative systems.

Each practice combines strategic analysis, editorial clarity and implementation-minded design.

01

Creative Industries Strategy & Transformation

Positioning, business models, operating models and growth roadmaps for creative and cultural organizations.

02

AI & Innovation for Creative Organizations

Practical AI use cases, workflows and prototypes that help teams move faster without losing editorial or strategic control.

03

Media, Content & Editorial Design

Media strategies, editorial formats and content systems that make complex ideas clear, useful and engaging.

04

Research, Evaluation & Public Policy

Studies, evaluations and policy-oriented analysis for cultural, media and development ecosystems.

Strategic instruments

Strategic instruments, ready to deploy.

Focused formats to clarify a question, structure the work and move from complexity to decision.

0110 days

Strategic Diagnostic Sprint

10-day review of a project, organization or market opportunity.

02Brief

Creative Industries Market Brief

A concise market and ecosystem note for a country, sector or opportunity.

03Sprint

AI Workflow Sprint

A practical sprint to identify, prototype and structure AI use cases.

04Audit

Media & Audience Audit

A focused review of a media product, audience positioning and growth opportunities.

05Pack

Partnership & Funding Proposition Pack

A structured narrative and business case for funders, sponsors or institutional partners.

06Sprint

Cultural Project Business Model Sprint

A practical format to clarify value proposition, revenue model and implementation roadmap.

Selected dossiers

Selected strategic dossiers.

No logos, no inflated impact claims: just the strategic questions, outputs and contexts that shape the work.

Institut français

Region

Africa / Diasporas

Strategic question

How can cultural and creative industries be mapped across countries and ecosystems?

Output

Multi-country mapping and strategic analysis.

CultureAfricaResearch

British Council

Region

Tunisia / MENA

Strategic question

How can creative industries policy and capacity-building programs support sector development?

Output

Policy and training support.

PolicyCreative industriesCapacity building

UNESCO

Region

Global

Strategic question

How can culture and development priorities be translated into clear institutional briefs?

Output

Policy and international development briefs.

CulturePolicyInternational

CFI

Region

Africa

Strategic question

How can media development programs capture and structure their learning?

Output

Capitalization and knowledge work.

MediaAfricaLearning

AFD / Proparco / Expertise France ecosystem

Region

Africa

Strategic question

How do entrepreneurship support programs perform across different markets and instruments?

Output

Evaluation and analytical work.

EvaluationEntrepreneurshipAfrica

Ministry of Culture, Tunisia

Region

Tunisia

Strategic question

How can cultural policy and creative industries development be structured?

Output

Policy and sector development assignments.

PolicyTunisiaCreative industries

APII / Crowdfunding ecosystem

Region

Tunisia

Strategic question

How can crowdfunding be better understood, communicated and adopted?

Output

Strategy and communication work.

FinanceCrowdfundingTunisia

QLM Media

Region

Tunisia / Francophone Africa

Strategic question

How can complex ideas become accessible, engaging media formats?

Output

Sister media lab and proof of practice in editorial innovation.

MediaAudiencesInnovation
Sister lab

A sister media lab, not a slide-deck theory.

QLM Media is PENCILS’ sister company and creative media lab. It gives us a live testing ground for explainer formats, audience development, educational content, editorial workflows and AI-enabled media experimentation.

01Audience building
02Explainer formats
03Editorial innovation

Bring us a challenge.

Whether you are designing a program, transforming an organization, launching a media product or exploring AI-enabled workflows, PENCILS can help you clarify the opportunity and shape the next move.