Zagora Cultural Centre

A public cultural venue for Zagora and the Drâa Valley

Zagora Cultural Centre is one of the city’s principal public venues for film, theatre, exhibitions, books and community programmes. Opened in June 2007, it was created through a partnership involving the provincial authorities, Morocco’s culture ministry, the municipality of Zagora and the European Union under the MEDA programme.

The centre forms part of the national network of public cultural institutions. Administratively, it is linked to the cultural services based in Ouarzazate within the Drâa-Tafilalet region. Its programme, however, is closely connected to local life: associations, schools, territorial authorities, artists and festival organisers all use the building and its forecourt.

Film, theatre and public debate

Cinema is one of the venue’s most visible strands. The centre has hosted screenings, workshops and professional discussions during the International Trans-Saharan Film Festival of Zagora. In December 2023, the festival’s seventeenth edition brought together participants from fourteen countries alongside Morocco, with films, workshops and talks presented at the centre.

The stage is also used for theatre, music and civic programming. A 2024 event focused on theatre and artistic expression by children with disabilities, while a national gathering dedicated to human-rights short films opened at the centre in May 2026. These programmes show how the venue connects artistic practice with education, participation and public discussion.

Books, oral heritage and local artistic traditions

The centre’s cultural role extends beyond its auditorium. Book exhibitions, conferences, storytelling, literary meetings and performances by local music and dance groups are regularly organised in the building or on the adjoining square. A four-day public programme in August 2023, for example, combined an intellectual seminar, a national book exhibition and performances by folkloric ensembles from the province.

This range reflects Zagora’s position within the cultural geography of south-eastern Morocco. Contemporary film and theatre meet Amazigh and Saharan oral traditions, popular arts and the work of local civil-society organisations. The forecourt is particularly important: it allows the programme to move beyond the enclosed hall and address larger audiences in the open air.

Renovation plans

A public refurbishment project is being prepared for the building. During a ministerial visit to Zagora in July 2025, plans to improve and equip the cultural centre were presented among wider cultural infrastructure projects in the province. In July 2026, an architectural consultation was issued for the design and supervision of rehabilitation works, with an estimated project value of MAD 3,000,500.

The consultation confirms that upgrading is planned, but it does not by itself establish that construction has begun or that the venue is closed.

Planning a visit

The centre is located in Zagora and opens mainly according to its announced programme. Confirm the time and access arrangements for each event before travelling.

Continue through the region with the Drâa Valley Museum in Tissergate, the Naciria Library in Tamegroute, current cultural events in Zagora and the city’s cultural places.