Cultural Mobility Forum 2027 (Casablanca, Morocco)

Reimagining International Cultural Relations for Cultural Mobility

Friday, 30 April 2027 — Casablanca, Morocco

Organised by On the Move, in partnership with Fondation Hiba, and co-funded by the European Union.

SAVE THE DATE

How might international cultural relations be reimagined around reciprocity, equity and social innovation? On 30 April 2027, On the Move’s Cultural Mobility Forum will bring together artists, cultural professionals, organisations, funders, policymakers and networks in Casablanca to explore what a different architecture for international cultural relations could look like. Rather than starting from the assumption that solutions need to be designed in Europe and exported elsewhere, the Forum will place practices and perspectives from across the world at the heart of the conversation — recognising the knowledge, relationships and models of cooperation that are already being developed and tested across different world regions, with a particular focus on the African continent.

Across plenary sessions and participatory formats, the Forum will explore the new conditions of international cultural exchange, looking at horizontal, non-state-led forms of cooperation, South-South partnerships, the role of cities, the increased visa and mobility barriers, the protection of artists and cultural practitioners, and the ways AI and digital infrastructures are reshaping cultural production and dissemination. Together, we will ask what it would take to move from cultural relations shaped by influence and projection towards relationships grounded in shared values, reciprocity and genuine solidarity.

Read the background paper here.

The Forum will also extend beyond the main programme in Casablanca, with satellite working group sessions, closed-door stakeholder meetings, networking opportunities and cultural visits taking place in Rabat on 28 April and Tangier on 29 April 2027.

Full programme and registration to be published in early March 2027.

Fondation Hiba

For this Forum, On the Move is proud to partner with one of its members, the Fondation Hiba, a Moroccan non-profit association dedicated to the development, promotion, and preservation of arts and culture across the country. Established in 2006 at the initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the foundation actively champions contemporary and emerging artistic disciplines, spanning cinema, music, performing arts, street arts, photography, fashion, and design. To revitalise the national cultural landscape, the organisation focuses on three main objectives: safeguarding Morocco’s rich tangible and intangible heritage, structuring the cultural and creative industries through targeted professional training, and democratising access to the arts for the nation’s youth.

Other resources

This Forum is part of On the Move’s EU co-funded programme New Solidarities.