The strongest local presence is in music, performing arts, ceremonies, intangible cultural heritage and craft-linked architecture. Traditional chants, dances, rituals and festivals are usually transmitted through communities, associations and events rather than through a standardized national training system. Zaffa is a traditional bridal procession combining ritual, music, dance and communal celebration. It was added to the UNESCO Representative List in 2025 as a multinational heritage element shared by Djibouti, Comoros, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritania and Somalia. Comoros ratified the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on 20 November 2013. The National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage, established under Order 19/18/MJEIPSC/CAB, supports the legal and institutional framework, inventories heritage, promotes safeguarding and connects heritage with education. A 2020 UNESCO report recorded 15 intangible cultural heritage elements across Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli. The Musée National has presented this heritage alongside historical, archaeological, artistic, religious, scientific and anthropological material. Visual art includes painting, visual-art exhibitions and competitions. Hudjidjuwa/FACC in Comoros combines contemporary art with cinema, concerts, theatre, exhibitions, a library, residencies, workshops, training and school dialogue. The 2020 report described its biennial as lasting about four days on average and being free of charge; current dates and conditions depend on the organizer. Comoros has few galleries and museums dedicated to contemporary art, so access often depends on specific projects or events. Photography has a smaller but visible network. Mahala/Seaview Artwork offers a free online photography review and connects emerging photographers from Moroni, Mitsamiouli, Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mohéli and Mayotte with regional and international visibility. Film activity includes the Comoros International Film Festival, known as CIFF, which began in 2011. Recorded editions took place from 17 to 23 December 2012 and from 8 to 13 December 2015. Its documented activities included mobile screenings, a film club and workshops in editing, writing, directing and acting. A current nationwide schedule and funding structure have not been established. Literary life combines oral transmission with local writing and reading activity. The CLAC network supports books and reading, while CNDRS maintains a library, archives and publications. There is no reliable current national statistic for the publishing or literature market. Architecture and design are closely connected with heritage in places such as historic sultanate medinas, stone buildings, carved wood, painted ceilings and wall niches. The restoration of Ujumbe Palace in Mutsamudu during 2025 and 2026 includes local artisans, youth and women’s training, a chantier-école and three-dimensional documentation. CNDRS is a public scientific institution established in 1979. Its Musée National has four permanent exhibition areas covering history, archaeology, art and religion; volcanology and earth sciences; oceanography and natural sciences; and social and cultural anthropology. Schools, students and the wider public use the institution. Opening hours and admission charges are not reliably established. CCAC-Mavuna in Moroni operates Théâtre Djumbe and provides project-based access to creation, performances, music, theatre, visual arts, cinema, exhibitions, a library, residencies, workshops and training. Artistic rights are covered by the Bangui Agreement, OCPI under Decree 18-093/PR of 2018, and Law 20-004/AU on copyright and neighbouring rights, promulgated by Decree 20-093/PR on 23 June 2020. The framework addresses protection, exploitation, anti-piracy measures and enforcement. The current practical procedure for registration, applicable fees and day-to-day enforcement should be confirmed with OCPI. There is no documented nationwide system of general art funding, standard training fees, market prices or artist social benefits. Production, workshop, festival and travel costs therefore depend on the project and organizer. Inter-island transport and export costs can restrict participation and circulation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ chancellery handles cultural visas for foreign artists, while Comorian artists travelling abroad may receive recommendations through that ministry and, in some cases, the Direction générale des arts et de la culture.
Art in Comoros
Art in Comoros includes music, dance, ceremonies, visual art, photography, film, literature, architecture, design and heritage practices. Much of the activity is community-based, association-based or tied to festivals and ceremonies, while formal galleries, art schools and a national art market remain limited or fragmented. Cultural bodies preserve and present both contemporary work and intangible cultural heritage, meaning practices and knowledge passed through communities. Access, costs and schedules depend on the island, organizer and project; some documented exhibitions, workshops and events are free.
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