A dynamic, Fez-based event consisting of exhibitions, discussions, and workshops and other activities that bring together artists from Morocco and the international community. It offers a global platform for participants to discuss and explore the role of art in a modern world. The Fez Gathering is organized by the Fez Art Lab, supported by many partners.
During its sixth edition in October 2023, the Fez Gathering will focus on how art is used to address current challenges related to gentrification. The multi-day, public event will focus on the function and potential of art and culture to transform urban spaces without displacing communities, and in a way that strengthens and supports the diverse existing communities. We will also discuss the role and potential of institutions often associated with gentrification. The event will also offer space for intergenerational dialogue, highlight the contemporary Moroccan art scene, and promote emerging young Moroccan artists.
For centuries, Fez has bridged economic, intellectual, cultural, social and spiritual differences between the “East” and “West,” as well as between “North” and “South.” The city of Fez in Morocco is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is the home of Al-Qarawayyin, the oldest functioning university in the world. It was the spiritual homeland of intellectuals such as Leo Africanus, Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Battuta. In present times, annual international cultural events such as the Fez Festival of Sacred Music and the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture, as well as the presence of new thinkers, contemporary artists, innovative artisans, and scholars, are new milestones in the important cultural role of Fez in the region.
