The 45th National Festival of Popular Arts, Marrakech 2010 - A great success.

In the ten days of the festival , FNAP attracted more than 400,000 spectators and the festival is continuing to attracting more people each year . In 2009 it was 350,000, in 2008 it was 250.000 as against 153.000 in 2007.

This year's festival organised as usual by the Foundation of Festivals for Marrakech selected the most popular artistes taking in to account local preferences for well known Moroccan performers of traditional folklore songs and dances. 21 troupes performed each evening in the magnificent Badii Palace. They were from the Sahara, the Atlas , the Rif, the region of Ouarzazate, Imilchil and Essaouira.

The Badii Palace welcomed more than 2,200 spectators each evening of which 40% were estimated to be foreign tourists excited to discover the traditional folklore heritage being enacted live tickets cost 100 dirhams.

The other concerts programmed during the festival at Bab ighli, Akoud , The El Harti square , the Royal Theatre and the Place Jamma El Fna were free and attracted large numbers of spectators. Bab Ighli, the most spacious location attracted between 45,000 and 70.000 people a night. The great names of Moroccan song performed including Abdelhadi Belkhayat, Latefa Rafat, Senhaji Bouchnak and Stati amongst others. Akioud and El Harti and the Royal Theatre also hosted very successful events .

This year the budget for the festival was 5.5 million dirhams with numerous sponsors,some 200 journalists, Moroccan and foreign press attended, along with european tourism organisations. The date of the next festival will be decided on the 15 September at the administrative council for the foundation's meeting.