Seven cultural institutions from Morocco will receive support under the National Cultural Opportunities Fund of the North Africa Cultural Program’s second cycle (2024-2027).

Active in capacity building and educational programs, research, music and architecture, these entities support emerging artists, young women, migrants and other underrepresented communities, and push for the promotion of culture and heritage in their respective cities.

The NACP Morocco jurors - Maria Daif, cultural journalist ; Rajae Slimani, specialist in social development; and Othman Nejemeddine, cultural manager in the music sector - convened for two days in AFAC’s office in Beirut to review the applications and make a final selection. At the close of their deliberations, the jurors issued the following jury statement:

“We, members of the jury, wish first and foremost to highlight the remarkable quality and diversity of the submissions received for the North Africa Cultural Program (NACP) Morocco 2024 institutional and programming support cycle. In our selection, we were particularly attentive to various criteria such as the size and years of operations of the spaces, geographic representation as well as the disciplines and fields of work. At the heart of our deliberations were deep considerations of the needs of the cultural scene. Our engagement during the process was to guarantee that the projects are not merely concentrated in major urban centers, but that they rather reflect the richness and diversity of cultural initiatives from across Morocco. We also gave particular attention to the management capacities of the grantee entities, ensuring they were able to manage human and financial resources efficiently. With regards to the selection process, it was pursued with transparency and engagement and included constructive debates and long discussions. Nevertheless, the exercise was not always easy, owing to the exceptional quality of the submissions. Moreover, we noted the interest of the organizations in institutional support and their mindfulness around the importance of long-term development. We recognize the crucial value of this support in a sector that is dynamic yet vulnerable and where resources are lacking and aid from the private and public sectors remains non-existent. Here lies the power of NACP: the program responds perfectly to the ongoing needs of Moroccan institutions. We encourage grantees to organize into a national network to initiate significant change and influence both the public and private sectors in Morocco, making them driving forces for our sector and essential to the country's human and economic development. In conclusion, we congratulate all applicants for their efforts and their commitment to arts and culture. We are confident that the selected projects will have a significant impact on the cultural and artistic landscape of our region.”

The selected entities

• Espoir Tiznit association
• Joudour Sahara
• CARCDAM - Coopérative de Recherche- Création
• Fondation Tamayouz Cinema
• Association marocaine de musique électronique AMME
• The Minority Globe
• Casamémoire

These entities stand among 81 institutions supported under the second cycle of the NACP (2024-2027). The NACP is carried out by AFAC with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The first cycle of the program (2019-2023) benefited 54 cultural organizations and over 2,500 practitioners and professionals, through diversified grants, training, events, and encounters that offered opportunities for networking and exchange among participants.