Academy of Traditional Arts
The Academy of Traditional Arts is an art school in Casablanca, Morocco. It focuses on preserving the traditional arts and crafts in Morocco. It was founded in 2012 and it's located at the Hassan II Mosque complex.
History
The Academy of Traditional Arts was founded in 2012, as an expansion to the Hassan II Mosque complex, which already contained a mosque, a Quranic school, a library, and a museum. The creation of the academy was one of the major actions taken by King Mohamed VI showing his interest in Moroccan heritage and traditional arts.The first class graduated in 2015 with 99 students. The new graduates had the chance to apply for governmental jobs as well as start their own startups with the help of special loans.
Curriculum
The academy's faculty, including master artisans and a highly qualified instructors, come from all over Morocco and the world. They offer the students the chance an opportunity to learn from the best through theory and practice. Upon completion of course requirements, students are invited to present research and artwork in their respective fields.Studies in the academy span for 3 years except for calligraphy, There are 5 main departments that offer 10 different crafts: carved wood, ironwork, jewelry, painted wood, carved plaster, leather work, stonemasonry, zellige, traditional weaving, and calligraphy.
To apply, students are invited to send a portfolio. The first selection is done based on the students' artistic works and interest in the field. The selected students are invited to take an entry exam and an interview. They can afterward choose to specialize in one of the crafts based on exam grades.
Events and Publications
Every year the academy hosts a conference on a particular craft like woodworking, building restoration, or Islamic geometry. These conferences are attended by professionals, prominent researchers, and scholars, and often result in publications. So far, 5 books have been published and can be consulted at the school's library : Restauration des ornements du batiment traditionel, Tapis traditionnel: valeurs, histoire et restauration and Islamic Geometry are among the books published so far.In 2019, The Academy partnered with the Farid Belkahia foundation to organize the first Traditional Arts award, to encourage young talent that showed innovation in their work, added a touch modernity, or made an effort to preserve the traditional craft.