Artist Imane Droby works on a mural during the street art festival in Rabat, Morocco.
Photographer: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images
An Arab City’s Booming Art Scene Is Also a Grab at Soft Power
The Moroccan capital Rabat is buzzing, but some in the arts world say it’s all about public image rather than creative forces.
In the Moroccan capital of Rabat, workers keep the white, curved surfaces of the sprawling Zaha Hadid-designed Grand Theater spotless ahead of its royal opening. A 40-minute walk away at the Mohammed V Theater, there are plays, jazz music and a photo exhibition. Two months earlier, the return of the annual Rabat Street Art Festival saw cranes hoist artists to the tops of buildings to paint murals.
Like cultural hubs across the world, Morocco’s 900-year-old capital is coming to life again as its arts scene emerges from the pandemic, and the resurgence resonates beyond Rabat’s ancient walls.