Proposal Stage Projects

Establishment of a new wing for the Sakakini :

This is the most important project the Sakakini Centre seeks funding for, because of the impact its realization will have on local cultural and artistic life. The Sakakini is fundraising for the building and equipment of the new structure, which we hope will begin in 2004. The new wing will host the following facilities:

- The first ever sculpture studio in Palestine.
- The first ever etching press studio in Palestine.
- A visual arts lending library.
- A permanent home to display mementos of Khalil Sakakini.
- A multipurpose workshop room for group arts workshops for children and adults.

The public sculpture and etching studios will make available to local artists equipment and tools that are for individual artists expensive to acquire, as well as dedicated work space that individual artists cannot afford. Due to the particular nature of sculpture work (need of a large space, noise, dirt) no Palestinian artist has the means to set himself up in a sculpture studio, despite the plentiful Jerusalem stone, and the importance of stone in Palestinian arts, and crafts. The Sakakini hopes to foster through this studio, artistic creativity in harmony with local artists’ natural environment. Similarly, many Palestinian artists who have trained abroad know how to use an etching press, but cannot produce such works here, nor are new artists given the opportunity to produce such works, because of the lack of such a machine in the whole of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. Both studios will be open to applicants, and they will be provided opportunities for training. There will be a focus on attracting young artists. There will also be hands on initiation workshops at the start of the project with prominent artists from abroad.

The Library will contain the current holdings of the Sakakini of videos, catalogues, and books that will be augmented, and made available for the first time to the public, young artists, and to students, on a lending basis. There is no such active library at the time in the area.

The Khalil Sakakini space will be a small room displaying the objects bequeathed to the Sakakini Centre by his descendants: Rare books, letters, personal objects and items. The space will also feature information on the history of Palestine and Jerusalem, linking it to the personal history of Khalil Sakakini, his family, and the schools he founded. This will make it a valuable resource for visitors, from school groups, to tourists, to members of the public.

The workshop space will be used for group art activities such as art classes for school students, group workshops with visiting artists for older artists, etc.. There is no such dedicated space in the area. The Centre, and other organizations have to rent and equip assorted halls and classrooms for this purpose at the time. This space when it is ready, will be used by the Sakakini, and be made available for use by other organizations and groups.

The new building will be erected to the back of the current 1927 structure of the Sakakini, which it will therefore, not obstruct, and in a style complementing it. The building will also feature office space, and storage space for art works.

This new building will serve artists, art teachers, arts students and schoolchildren who will be able to use its studios, library, and workshop spaces to learn, create, experiment, teach, broaden their horizons, etc..

To find out how you can support this project, please click here.