Bringing culture to periphery and maintaining the WE ART gallery activity
Hi, my name is Ronit Itzikzon Feldman, mother to Aviv, Maya and Elad, married to Ofir and owner of the WeArt gallery, commemorating the heroic heritage of Amit Man, may her memory be a blessing. An interdisciplinary artist, art curator and above all - a reality changing dreamer.
Our gallery is located in Karmiel, a city in northern Israel. It is much more than just a gallery It is a meeting place, a source of inspiration and an educational center. The gallery was established in March 2023 (before the disaster of 7.10.23) in collaboration with Haviva, the gallery director.
Since then, Haviva and my sister Atara have provided me with all the support and assistance they could. Our aspiration was to open the first gallery of its kind in Karmiel and the surrounding area. We desired to create a community for peripheral artists, and we succeeded.
The gallery presents original Israeli artwork, joint exhibitions of artists from all over the country, featuring both veteran and beginning artists. Our gallery provides artists with a platform enabling them to present artwork, communicate with art lovers, influence and be influenced, as well as to expose their work to the public including potential purchasers.
At the gallery we offer a variety of art classes in different fields of art, for all ages - ranging from pencil and charcoal drawing, oil, acrylic, to felting, making pumpkin lamps, visual diary, collages, mandalas, graffiti and more.
The gallery also hosts culture events such as music performances, lectures in various fields, playback shows, jazz evenings, and other special events in collaboration with the local community.
Saving the gallery: On October the 7th, we lost Amit Man, sister of the gallery director Haviva. Amit was murdered while saving lives in the clinic of Kibbitz Beeri. For the following two month the gallery was closed and endured a severe financial blow. The "Genesis" exhibition was opened two months late and all workshops and events were canceled...
The government offered no compensation (the gallery was open for less than a year), the regular expenses (rent and property taxes, obligations, etc...) were inevitable, which resulted in a financial downfall.
Despite this, we decided to carry on engaging in any activity available, inspired by our hope, believes and vision. My amazing niece Shani joined forces to restore the gallery as soon as she was demobilized from reserve army service. We learned that art is an immense healing power for whoever partakes in it.
However, as time passed the war continued, reaching the northern regions of Israel. We were forced to close the gallery in Karmiel for a month, postponing the "Dream Catcher" exhibition opening and cancelling classes and events again...
The gallery experiences severe financial downfall, requiring external assistance to operate.
Hopefully the gallery will reopen at the beginning of November, yet the difficult financial situation is the reason we call for Your help.
How will we use the money we raise?
The funds we raise will allow us to:
• Ensure the existence of the gallery and overcome current financial obstacles.
• Enchase current activities and explore new initiatives that will make art and culture accessible for all the region residents.
• Continue our work as a leading cultural center in the north of the country, in Karmiel and the periphery in general, to fulfill our vision.
With your help, we can save the WeArt gallery as an essential cultural center, and a welcoming home for all art and culture lovers in the North.
Praying for peaceful days and the return of the kidnapped and the evacuees to their homes, for the safety of our soldiers and peace for all the citizens of the State of Israel! May we again enjoy prosperity, heal mentally and physically, and celebrate love and creation with no limits!