14 Y.L. Peretz St.
P.O. Box 44413
Haifa 3304114
Israel
- Arts
- Democracy and community development
- Heritage
- Youth and education
Our Vision
We work towards a Palestinian Arab society keen about its language, identity, and cultural heritage, that is culturally and academically autonomous, creative, productive and socially responsible, and based on humanitarian and pluralistic values.
Our Goals
To develop an accessible Arab cultural identity based on the present reality and history, open to different nations’ cultures yet proud of its Arab character, and focused on humanitarian, democratic foundations and transcendent of narrow-mindedness and tribalism.
To provide a nurturing space for capacity building, artistic and literary production, and networking in the cultural sector while maintaining inclusive, creative and professional standards.
Youth empowerment and education in Palestinian history, culture, and identity. Encouraging youth to pursue higher education, to participate in public affairs, and to practice critical and creative thinking.
Founding a professional training center for the Arabic language and ensuring its appropriate presence in the public sphere.
Strengthening communication and cooperation between Palestinians in Historical Palestine and the Diaspora, as well as with institutions and cultural actors in the Arab world and beyond.
ACA Programs 2015-2018:
The Arab Cultural Center in Haifa.
Work of Art- Cultural Development Agency
Language and Identity
Youth Empowerment Program
Cultural Distribution
The Arab Cultural Center- Haifa
Belonging, Creativity, Production
The idea of establishing an interdisciplinary Arab cultural center emerged to meet the need of Palestinian Arab society in Israel and the Palestinian cultural movement for an independent professional space that is multifunctional and Arab in identity. The Center aims to: nurture and develop unrealized cultural energies; facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise; support artistic, literary and critical capacity building and development; provide an inspiring environment; and encourage cultural production, distribution and artistic initiative. The Center will facilitate communication between cultural and artistic institutions, frameworks, and initiatives in the Arab world as well as internationally.
The Arab Culture Association chose to establish the Center in Haifa because this Arab city has recently become an artistic and cultural urban center for Palestinian society once again. Before electing to establish the Arab Cultural Center in Haifa, the city lacked the necessary infrastructure to continue developing momentum and Arab cultural production across the various disciplines.
The Center will consist of two impressive buildings near the long-established Arab neighborhood of Wadi Nisnas in Haifa’s historic center. The area will begin its restoration beginning in 2015 as part of a plan that includes — in addition to the ACA’s offices — modern and fully equipped exhibition, training and production spaces:
Multi-use performance hall
Arts library and cultural archive
Gallery
Training and professional centers
Cultural café
Arts marketplace
Studios
Various other cultural and artistic facilities
In our experience, we have been fortunate to have been acquainted and collaborated with a multitude of individuals and organizations from a diversity of cultural fields. From over a decade of successful programmes and initaitives we have developed close ties with the Arab Palestinian community in Israel and built a strong network of support that we can also share with other members in the Network. Additionally, as part of a greater network we can further help the people and organisations we work with by connecting them with organisations and individuals that they would not have necessarily been able to reach otherwise, be it through the dissemination of their works or recognition of their outstanding acheivements.
One of the main goals of the ACA is to strengthen communication and cooperation with likeminded individuals and organizations. We believe that doing so is an integral element to strengthening civil society as a whole. To join the ALF network would open a channel to organisations we have not been able to reach thus far, effectively providing an opportunity to share information, resources, expertise and advice. WIth greater cohesion in the work of civil society organisations in Israel, the higher likelihood of having a lasting impact on the communities that we aim to help.