A union for artistic professions sees the light in Agadir

Yesterday, Friday, the city of Agadir witnessed the establishment of the regional office of the National Union of Artistic Professions in the Souss-Massa region. This union organization came to enhance the cultural scene and “reflects the growing interest in artists and providing them with the necessary support in areas far from the center, as the focus shifts from central issues to adopting a decentralized approach that aims to represent artists throughout the Kingdom.”

According to the union’s founding platform, the regional office of the National Union of Artistic Professions in the Souss-Massa region “will not be limited to defending the rights of artists only, but will extend to include stimulating the cultural economy in the Souss-Massa region, by organizing artistic and cultural events,” adding that the office “will contribute to creating new job opportunities for artists and creators, and help in stimulating cultural tourism, which is a fundamental factor in local development.”

According to artist Rachid Lachkar, head of the regional office, the office’s main mission is to “discover and nurture local artistic talents in regions such as Souss-Massa,” noting that there are “many young artists who have great creative abilities but lack the opportunities and resources to develop their talents.” He added: “By organizing workshops, training programs, and artistic competitions, the office seeks to discover these talents and provide them with the necessary support.”

According to the same spokesperson, the office seeks to “play a vital role in preserving the cultural and artistic heritage of the Souss-Massa region, by encouraging artists to benefit from the local heritage in their creations, and organizing events that highlight the cultural heritage and work to pass it on to future generations; it also opens the door to building local and international partnerships aimed at enhancing cultural cooperation, and coordinating with cultural and educational institutions inside and outside Morocco to organize cultural exchange programs, or host artists from other countries.”

In the same context, the future vision of the regional office is to “transform the Souss-Massa region into a center of cultural and artistic influence on the national and international levels, and to create a thriving artistic environment that supports creativity and guarantees artists the status they deserve within society, while making art an integral part of daily life in the region, where artists become a basic component of society, contributing to its development and progress.”