Safi City of Arts and Culture

A major public cultural complex in Safi

Safi City of Arts and Culture is one of the city’s principal public cultural institutions. Opened on 18 April 2013, it was designed as a shared infrastructure for performance, artistic education, exhibitions, film, public debate and heritage. Its location near central Safi and the potters’ hill connects a contemporary cultural venue with the city’s long history of ceramics and craftsmanship.

The project was developed by the former Doukkala-Abda Regional Council for a reported final investment of MAD 41 million. The complex occupies roughly three hectares. Early project descriptions referred to approximately 5,900 square metres of built space on a site exceeding 25,000 square metres, with architect Khalid Adnane associated with the design and environmental integration of the development.

Several cultural functions within one site

The institution is much more than a single auditorium. Its different components allow performances, learning, civic encounters and exhibitions to operate side by side:

• a large regional theatre, commonly described as seating around 650 people;
• a music conservatory;
• film-screening facilities;
• conference and meeting rooms;
• a hall for ceremonies and public events;
• exhibition areas;
• a regional library integrated into the complex;
• landscaped outdoor spaces.

This combination allows audiences to move from a play or concert to an exhibition, a film screening, a literary encounter or an educational workshop. It also gives artists, schools, associations and public institutions in Safi a dependable venue for producing and presenting cultural work.

Theatre, touring productions and public performance

Theatre is central to the complex’s identity. The venue hosts professional companies, community productions, comedy, national tours and training activities. In 2022, its theatre hosted the third National Amateur Theatre Festival, with eight productions competing for awards in direction, scenography, writing and performance.

The venue is also a regular stop for widely touring Moroccan comedians and performers. Recent programming includes appearances by Yassar, Bassou, Rachid Rafik, Bombacomique, Said & Wadie and several comedy galas between 2022 and 2026. This continuity makes the complex one of the principal touring stages on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.

Aïta as living heritage

The City of Arts and Culture plays a particularly important role in presenting and transmitting aïta, the vocal and musical heritage closely associated with Safi, Abda and western Morocco. The official opening of the National Aïta Festival is regularly held at the venue.

Recent editions have combined concerts, tributes to major performers and academic discussions on the history, regional styles and social meanings of aïta. The complex therefore treats intangible heritage not only as stage entertainment, but also as knowledge to be documented, debated and passed to younger audiences.

This commitment extends to other musical traditions connected to Safi, including malhoun, Andalusian music, samaâ and madih, alongside instrumental training at the conservatory.

Music education and the conservatory

The music conservatory is a core educational component of the institution. Programmes documented in Safi have included solfège, oud, violin, Andalusian repertoires, malhoun and dance. Student and teacher concerts take place in the theatre, creating a direct route from classroom learning to public performance.

The original purpose of the project was to encourage new talent in music, theatre and the arts more broadly. This relationship between teaching, rehearsal and presentation distinguishes the complex from a venue used only for occasional events.

Cinema returns to the city

In March 2024, the screening hall at the City of Arts and Culture joined the first phase of Morocco’s national programme to bring 150 cinema screens into operation. Film screenings began on 6 March 2024, alongside a second equipped hall at the Kaouki cultural centre.

This new role supports Moroccan films, youth screenings and events exploring film history. In May 2025, the complex hosted the first Cinema and Heritage Festival, combining screenings and discussions with an exhibition of original film posters, cameras, projectors and historical production equipment.

Films, screening times and ticket conditions depend on the current programme.

Exhibitions, literature and Safi’s local memory

The exhibition spaces host visual art, photography, archival material, heritage projects and educational displays. The complex also presents poetry readings, lectures, book events and public discussions on Safi’s architectural and intangible heritage.

Women’s poetry programmes, international poetry meetings and tributes to Moroccan writers have appeared in its calendar. The regional library strengthens this reading and knowledge mission, particularly for younger audiences.

The institution also receives school award ceremonies, professional meetings, heritage consultations and major civil-society gatherings. It is therefore both an arts venue and a public forum for the city.

An active institution in 2026

Announcements from the Provincial Directorate of Culture for Safi and Youssoufia confirm an active programme in 2026, including World Theatre Day productions, youth companies, music and Gnawa projects, heritage encounters and emerging-talent initiatives.

The venue continues to fulfil two complementary roles: hosting national cultural events and providing a stage for Safi’s own artists, associations, students and communities.

Planning a visit

The complex is located on Boulevard Al Madina Al Mounaouara, near Rue Ibn Badis and the potters’ hill. It is not a museum with a permanent visitor route: most visits are connected to a scheduled performance, film, exhibition, lesson or public event.

Check the event time, access conditions and any ticketing requirements in advance. Administrative opening hours listed online do not necessarily match evening performance or cinema schedules.

Continue with Safi’s National Ceramics Museum, browse other cultural places in Safi and explore current events in the city.