culture
Art Retreat at El Fenn, Marrakech, with Vanessa Branson and Rita Alaoui
From 23 to 27 November, four nights at El Fenn exploring Marrakech's art scene with the hotel's co-founder, and a full day in the studio with Moroccan artist Rita Alaoui.
- Date
23–27 November
- Location
Derb Moulay Abdullah Ben Hezzian, 2, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- Useful info
Limited to 16 guests, places allocated first come, first served: email your name and preferred room size to request a place. Extra nights after the retreat at 15% off.
- Prices
From €3,795 per person in a large room, joint occupancy; single occupancy from €4,651. Includes all meals, pre-dinner cocktails, wine with dinner, excursions, transport and airport transfers; flights and travel insurance excluded.
Marrakech has become one of the centres of contemporary African art, but much of what makes it interesting is not on the usual visitor's route: the studios of artists in residence, private foundations, the people who curate and collect. El Fenn's Art Retreat is built to get you there. From 23 to 27 November, 16 guests spend four nights at the hotel with its co-founder Vanessa Branson, who chaired six editions of the Marrakech Biennale and has spent years building relationships with the city's artists, collectors and institutions, and a full day making a work of their own with Moroccan artist Rita Alaoui.
The El Fenn collection
On arrival day, Vanessa leads a private tour of the hotel's art collection, built over twenty years, with works by Hassan Hajjaj, Yto Barrada, Ali Maimoun and Abelmalik Berhiss alongside a European collection, followed by cocktails on the rooftop and a Moroccan family dinner.
MACAAL and the Montresso Foundation
The second day takes in MACAAL, one of Africa's leading contemporary art museums, and the Montresso Foundation, a private art space where guests visit the studios of the artists in residence, with lunch at Jardin Rouge.
A day with Rita Alaoui
On the third day, Moroccan artist Rita Alaoui, who painted The Inner Garden murals along El Fenn's entrance corridors at the end of 2025, guides guests through her process, exploring colour, texture and material, before each makes a work of their own.
Galleries and the gala dinner
The last full day opens with breakfast with gallerist and African art specialist Hadia Temli on how to buy art and build a collection, then moves to the galleries of Gueliz and the studios of Sidi Ghanem, and ends with a gala dinner at El Fenn hosted by Vanessa, Rita and Hadia.
