فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Civil society actors in the city of Meknes have warned of what they described as the “catastrophic situation” facing three cinema halls located on Rouamzine Street, amid what they consider prolonged neglect of these cultural spaces following a decline in attendance over recent years.
According to sources within civil society, the situation concerns well-known cinemas in the city, namely “Mondial,” “Atlas,” and “Apollo.” These actors stated that the halls are suffering from significant deterioration of their buildings and facilities after being abandoned by audiences, forcing their owners to close them “under compulsion” due to declining activity and the lack of conditions necessary for continued operation.
The same parties explained that the continued closure of these cinemas has contributed to deepening the stagnation of the local cultural scene, noting that cinema once served as an outlet for residents and a driving force for artistic life, before gradually declining and losing its role within the city.
According to the same civil society actors, this situation raises questions about ways to protect Meknes’ cultural memory and restore the status of cinema exhibition spaces, especially in light of changes in viewing habits and the decline in investment in traditional cultural infrastructure in many cities.
Civil society organizations are calling for the opening of a serious local debate on the future of these cinema halls and for the identification of realistic solutions to culturally repurpose them or restore and rehabilitate them through a participatory approach, ensuring the preservation of their symbolic value and preventing further deterioration.
In recent years, several Moroccan cities have witnessed a noticeable decline in the number of cinema halls due to factors related to changing patterns of cultural consumption, rising management and maintenance costs, and the growing availability of digital viewing alternatives. This has often led to the closure of historic cinemas or their conversion to other uses.
At the same time, local and national initiatives occasionally emerge to revive certain cultural spaces through rehabilitation or adaptive reuse. However, their success is usually linked to the availability of funding, clarity of management vision, and the involvement of local stakeholders in sustainable projects that restore culture’s presence within the urban space.
Source: Fes News Media
