Sefrou is a Berber town and Morocco’s leading artisan enclave nestled in the Middle Atlas, just 30 minutes from UNESCO Fes. This small town is a well-kept secret and also home to Morocco’s annual cherry festival. Travelers in-the-know come to Morocco to experience Sefrou and meet the skilled artisans who live there.
Seffrou is a well-kept secret and home to Morocco’s annual cherry festival.
The town Sefrou was a stopping-off point for trading caravans crossing from the Mediterranean to the Sahara. It was also home to one of Morocco’s largest Jewish communities. Sefrou is also the capital of cherries and hosts an annual Moussem (Festival) each year.
The community in Sefrou that thrives today has a keen mix of traditional and contemporary artists including ironsmiths, tailors, weavers, painters, jewelry designers, and potters. Sefrou’s artistic community offers apprenticeships for those who are interested.
Culture Vultures, an organization based in Sefrou offers a social impact program that supports the community. Since 2009, Culture Vultures has worked to facilitate and support national and international cross-cultural experiences. The organization fundraises and manages and Sefrou Museum of Multiculturalism. It presents pop-up galleries in the Fes and Sefrou Medinas, connecting traditional artisans with visitors.
In 2014, Culture Vultures’ founder, Jess Stephens, created AiR Artisan, an art residency that offers collaborative workshops with local resident artists. 10 females from Spain to Japan were chosen to work with the local Sefrou artisans. Together, they turned recycled garbage into videos, jewelry, furniture, and hair accessories.