FEZ, Morocco — On Feb. 26, 2015, the Islamic State (IS) released a shocking video of its militants' purportedly taking hammers to ancient, centuries-old statues at the Iraqi Mosul Museum. Though onlookers have since questioned the clip’s veracity, today its images of pixelated destruction warn of extremism’s capacity to dismantle — and exploit — artistic heritage in the region.

This January, a group of artists have been coming together to generate strategies for a counterattack: one that points creativity to a social purpose and that fights fire with artistic expression.

The International Artists Gathering in Fez, Morocco, brings together artists, curators and historians to ask whether art, be it Islamic calligraphy or experimental photography, can aid the region at a time when most of its challenges evoke policy or military responses.

“Muslim culture celebrates art, but it isn’t given the right exposure,” said Omar Chennafi, a Moroccan artist and the founder of the event, which began Jan. 12. “We are trying to open up this conversation globally to show the world there is a place for art in Islam.”