Call for artists to apply for a residency in Fez, Morocco

Nawat Fes offers funded residencies in the eighth-century medina of Fes, Morocco to U.S. and international creators in multiple disciplines. The initiative engages art to cultivate understanding among multifaceted cultures through the exchange of ideas. Hosted by the American Language Center / Arabic Language Institute in Fez, a member of the American Cultural Association, Nawat Fes is a new program that hosted its first residencies in May 2022.

Through the American Language Center and its Arabic Language Institute in Fez (ALC-ALIF), Nawat Fes artists will have access to multilingual staff support and opportunities for engagement with the wider community of Fes. The ALC’s main facility in Fes’ New City includes a large garden with a café, library, and bookstore, where Moroccans and students of Arabic from around the world congregate to share ideas and participate in the ALC’s range of public programs. The ALIF Riad, a spacious traditional house built around a courtyard garden of orange trees, offers additional space in the medina available for exhibitions and public programs.

Artist residents will live and work in the ancient medina of Fes, which is considered one of the most extensive and best-conserved historic cities of the Arab-Muslim world. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Fes medina is one of the world’s largest pedestrian zones, containing narrow alleyways leading to ancient architectural treasures, traditional houses, artisan workshops and open-air markets. Within this unique setting, Nawat Fes provides a supportive environment for research, reflection, and artistic practice, allowing artists from around the world to experience and learn from Moroccan culture, and to contribute to the local cultural conversation.

Artists are expected to arrive at the beginning of each residency period and stay through the end of the residency period. Please see the Nawat Fes website for residency periods.