Art Camp

 

As a young aspiring, artistic, globetrotting, do-gooding grassroots activist I have to say I think I have found a place to call home.  This past weekend I was fortunate enough to participate in a small art festival in northern Israel near Kibbutz Beit Zera, this is where I found Inspiration Arts. 

While I was only one of two native English speakers I don’t think I’ve ever come across a place that felt more like paradise.  Artists from across Israel came together to create a space where persons young and old could express their artistic desire and solidify a little direction for their next project. 

Everyone there had a passion to not only create art, but to change the world with art.  Of the many conversations that took place over the weekend one really stuck out to me, “What is art?”  Opinions varied from person to person, some saying that art need to inspire, others that art needed to come from within, or that art need to be public, or that art needed to be private and personal, or even that art was a vessel of changing perspectives.  Everyone seemed to agree that art requires action and that it should have a message .  If that is the definition of art, Inspiration Arts could be the perfect home and creative incubator for me. 

Examples of art inspiring and changing the world are common, and Inspiration’s sole mission is to cultivate such projects.  It  encourages people to synergize their efforts and create something beautiful.  As an informal educator in civic action and community development, this is a dream come true fore me.  Having observed and participated in numerous initiatives, I have always hoped for more conversation around what it takes to begin a progam and how to communicate its goals.  At Inspiration, this conversation is happening.  

While this was only Inspiration Art’s first event, the potential of the organization is growing.  It is evident to me that Inspiration could truly be a place where artists and community leaders from around the world come to further develop their skills.

 — Wiley Jackson

Inspiration Arts