Casablanca — Anne-Claire Legendre marked her first official visit to Morocco as President of the Institut du monde arabe (IMA) with a clear message: strengthening cultural ties between France and the Kingdom. Speaking at a press conference in Casablanca, she highlighted decades of collaboration, recalling Morocco’s role as a founding member of the IMA since 1982 and a trusted partner in promoting the region’s cultural heritage.
Her trip coincided with a busy diplomatic calendar, including a bilateral meeting with Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, where discussions centered on the IMA’s role in bilateral relations ahead of a high-level government summit scheduled for July 2026 and the anticipated return state visit of King Mohammed VI to France. Legendre emphasized the IMA’s commitment to fostering this renewed partnership.
The itinerary began in Rabat, where she met with Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, followed by a tour of the Chellah archaeological site and the Institut national des sciences de l’archéologie et du patrimoine (INSAP). In Casablanca, a roundtable at the National Library of Morocco brought together directors from the National Archives, the Moroccan Cinematheque, and the National Institute of Music and Choreography. She also met with Fihr Kettani, founder of the Living Arts Studio and head of the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation (ICC). The visit concluded in Marrakech with meetings with prominent figures in Morocco’s art scene, including Meriem Berrada, curator of Morocco’s first pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, and Alexis Sornin, director of the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé Berber Arts Museums. The final stop was the inauguration of the Casablanca Museum of Photography and Visual Arts, attended by Mehdi Qotbi, President of the National Federation of Museums.
archaeology: bridging moroccan research with european audiences
Legendre described her visit to the INSAP as pivotal in understanding the progress of Moroccan archaeology. The institute, which trains over 170 students, collaborates with French institutions such as the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap), CNRS, the Collège de France, and ENS. While acknowledging Morocco’s well-established training system, Legendre stressed the need to highlight research findings. She pointed to groundbreaking discoveries—such as those at Volubilis, Banassa, Phoenician sites, rock art, and revised timelines for the development of Homo sapiens—that remain underrecognized in Europe. Plans are underway to curate an exhibition at the IMA in Paris dedicated to Arab-world archaeology.
The IMA’s role in the cultural and creative industries (CCI) was also a focus, with Legendre noting Morocco and Saudi Arabia as leaders in video games and animation within the Arab world. She revealed plans for the IMA to support the upcoming Esports World Cup in France, requested by Saudi Arabia, aligning with the 2027 redesign of the IMA’s museum, which will incorporate immersive and gamified experiences.
new awards and residencies for emerging arab artists
To nurture emerging talent, the IMA announced three annual awards in fashion, design, and contemporary art, to be presented alongside key Parisian events such as Fashion Week, Paris Design Week, and Paris+ by Art Basel. Winners will receive residencies, exhibition opportunities, and professional mentorship in France. This initiative responds to repeated requests from young Moroccan artists during her visit.
preserving history through photography and literature
The opening of the Casablanca Museum of Photography and Visual Arts marks a partnership leveraging the IMA’s photothèque, which houses 86,000 images, many documenting Morocco through historical photographic campaigns. Legendre expressed her intention to share this resource with Moroccan partners. Additionally, she underscored the need to expand the teaching of Arabic in France and collaborate with Moroccan counterparts to translate and promote contemporary Moroccan and Arab literature. This effort aligns with Rabat’s designation as the 2026 Arab Capital of the Book and aims to address a gap in visibility within the French publishing sector.
Two major exhibitions are slated at the IMA for the second half of 2026. The first, “Long Live the Bride!”, will explore wedding traditions across Morocco’s regions and their evolution in the diaspora. The second will explore the architectural and artistic influence of the Alhambra during the Nasrid era and its lasting impact on Morocco.
This visit culminated in finalizing a cultural cooperation roadmap between the IMA and Morocco. Legendre confirmed that a draft proposal had already been submitted, with this trip aimed at refining it with measurable objectives. The roadmap will align with key bilateral milestones, including the July 2026 government summit. As the IMA celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2027 alongside the launch of its museum redesign, this visit signals a new chapter in Franco-Moroccan cultural collaboration.
