Green Olive Arts
Green Olive Arts is an international art studio and urban art residency in Tetouan, Morocco, specializing in connecting the creatives of the world with the culture and creatives of Morocco through professional studio facilities, artist residencies, artist services, instructional programming, and international collaborative events. Green Olive Arts was started by artists for artists, representing the culmination of the dreams of two American artists, Jeff McRobbie and Rachel Pearsey. Prior to founding GOA, both Jeff and Rachel spent years creating art in Morocco and dreaming of how they could open a collaborative art space, where foreign and local artists could experience the richness of creating art alongside each other in a multicultural environment. The Art Residency program is for artists of all disciplines and provides a space for artists to travel away from their normal settings to do research and produce new works in a context offering an abundance of fresh inspiration. GOA offers fully equipped production spaces and opportunities for interaction and collaboration with other local and international artists. Both shared and private studio spaces are available. The large size of GOA’s facilities also allows them to accommodate art-making tours and other arts-educational and study-abroad groups.
Potential outcomes (according to the residents' desire) include exhibitions, performances, open studios event, workshops, & collaborative events. Other proposed outcomes are also welcomed by GOA for consideration.
The spacious, sunny studios are within a two-minute walk to Tetouan's ancient medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Artists enjoy access to secure WIFI, computer with printer/scanner, woodshop, a range of artist equipment and furniture, including tables, easels, storage, printmaking press, and encaustic equipment. The 20-30 square meter studios have doors that close to the rest of the studio and can be private or shared by 2-3 artists. Assistance is provided for connecting with local craftsmen and materials suppliers, networking with local artists and gatekeepers, as well as in-studio consulting for your creative process and production needs by one of the founding artists, and social media promotion.
Artists in Residence are responsible for the cost of their housing, but GOA can arrange it for them, according to their preferences and goals. Almost all of the housing options are within a short walk of the studios, near the center of Tetouan. GOA has arranged special discount pricing for the following options which artists can choose from: a private apartment, a home-stay with a Moroccan family, a Moroccan Riad (4 star B&B), a 3-star hotel, or a 2-star hotel.
Available resources include: computer/scanner/printer, wifi, kitchen, woodworking tools, dance/performance practice space. The hosts may be able to acquire other resources on request.
Situated in the North of Morocco, on the North-Western tip of Africa, Tetouan sits by the Mediterranean Sea in a beautiful valley at the intersection of two rugged mountain ranges. Tetouan's ancient walled city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a rich history and culture. Here you will find Morocco’s prestigious National Institute of Fine Art (the starting point of many Moroccan artists), the National School of Architecture, the Royal Artisan School for children, and the Museum of Modern Art. Tetouan's architecture and second language reveal its place in history as the capital of the Spanish protectorate, a heritage that remains visible at every turn. With its annual International Film Festival, Festival of the Lute, and fine arts festivals, Tetouan has art “in its blood” on a grassroots level that is rarely seen in this part of the world. Green Olive Arts is located in a historic 10-room home of a prominent Tetouani family, in the heart of this city, a few blocks from the king's palace, numerous transportation arteries, museums, galleries and the gates of the ancient medina.