Echos Electrik Kicks Off 2026 with a Series of Cultural Projects
The Echos Electrik association is starting the year 2026 with a range of projects aimed at promoting cultural democratization, supporting contemporary creation, training young people, and enhancing local heritage.
E-FEST Camp Program
As part of this initiative, the E-FEST Camp program has been designed in several phases, with a highlight being the E-Fest digital culture festival, which made a notable comeback in 2025 after a seven-year absence. The event, which will take place over three to four days, will feature a multidisciplinary program combining music performances, digital installations, introductory workshops, and masterclasses.
Agora Program and Village of Partners
The festival will also include spaces for citizen dialogue through the Agora program and a village of partners showcasing the socio-economic actors of the region. Prior to and following the festival, a series of cultural actions with direct impact will be implemented to strengthen the project's local roots and consolidate its ties with the region's audiences.
Paintmapping Workshop
In partnership with the Ghomrassen Youth Center, Echos Electrik organized a paintmapping workshop from February 2 to 7, led by artist Rahma Yahyaoui, digital video artist Vincent Sanjivy, and digital sound artist Fernand Favier. The workshop, which combined painting, video mapping, and sound creation, was attended by 15 young people aged 11 to 16.
Objective and Outcome
The objective of the workshop was to provide children with a space for free expression, allowing them to explore different forms of creation and nurture their imagination. The participants, guided by the three artists, experimented with each discipline and contributed to a collective audiovisual work inspired by the theme of sand.
Colloquium on Socio-Ecological Resilience
A colloquium on socio-ecological resilience in arid environments will be held on April 4 and 5, 2026, at Ksar El Ferch, in partnership with the Institute of Arid Regions (IRA) of Medenine. Nine experts will be invited to share their knowledge and debate, in the presence of the public, the socio-ecological challenges specific to arid regions.
Artist Residency
From April 1 to 12, 2026, Franco-Syrian artist Dino Ahmad Ali will be in residence at Ksar El Ferch, working on a creation entitled "L'Arbre à paroles–Optique land art." This in-situ creation, carried out in collaboration with Nidhal Chemengui and Wael Bouargoub, will combine local memory, collective participation, and visual experience.
Technical Training
From April 6 to 10, the association will provide intensive technical training for four operators from the Tataouine region at the Tataouine cultural complex. Led by Selim Achour, this training aims to strengthen local skills in live sound management.
Restoration of Ksar El Ferch
Since the first decentralized edition of the E-Fest festival in April 2025, the organizers have chosen a free and conscious ticketing system. The revenue collected has been entirely dedicated to launching a program for the progressive restoration of Ksar El Ferch. The first phase of the work focused on the site's facade, including paving, lighting, and repairing damaged walls.
Preservation of Berber Heritage
Ksar El Ferch, located between Tataouine and Ghomrassen, embodies precious Berber heritage. The site, which covers an area of over 13,000 m2, features 280 ghorfas (traditional granaries) and is a remarkable testament to a living local legacy. The organizers will invest the revenue from future editions to continue the restoration work until the site is fully restored.
