Rabat is shedding its skin as a traditional administrative hub to become a sprawling, vibrant canvas for the 11th JIDAR Rabat Street Art Festival. This year, international creators from Ecuador to South Africa have arrived in the Moroccan capital and are transforming stark building facades into massive storytelling landmarks. From Oscar Medina’s celestial bird clutching the sun and moon to Keya Tama’s majestic lion inscribed with the Arabic proverb “Knowledge of people is a treasure,” the city has effectively become an open-air museum. Artistic director Salaheddine Malouli notes that with over 100 murals now decorating the skyline, the festival is successfully shifting societal perceptions of street art from vandalism to a vital, celebrated pillar of Moroccan urban culture.
Africanews
