The Zumu School for Cultural Entrepreneurship, which was launched at the beginning of 2020, trains, connects and helps cultural leaders dream, produce, curate and execute events and cultural programs in their place of residence. The program aspires to turn the teaching staff, partners and community leaders, who Zumu has worked with on its journey throughout the country, into cultural entrepreneurs who will continue working in the field long after Zumu has moved on to its next stop.
The portable school, also known as the “Fellowship Program,” provides local cultural entrepreneurs with the tools they need to conceive and produce different, alternative cultural events. The Zumu team share their know-how and experience, which they have garnered throughout their journey (and way before) with a community of art and culture enthusiasts.
Long-Term Impact
Zumu’s primary goal is to leverage the transformative power of art and culture to bring about far-reaching and meaningful social change. The creation of the school for cultural entrepreneurship is an attempt to expand the scope of this work, deepen the ties between us and our host communities and instill the means and skills to ensure that the participants can continue producing cultural content long after Zumu has left.
Zumu’s school for cultural entrepreneurship’s curriculum is spread over a year and includes 10 meetings, in which Zumu’s educational team teach a different subject every day: cultural entrepreneurship, curation, production, design, communications and more, which combined, create a sustainable infrastructure for continued culture initiatives. The fellows have an opportunity to hone their skills, leverage the connections they made during Zumu’s stay in their city, meet creatives and cultural entrepreneurs responsible for events all over the country, further explore the possibilities presented by the integration of art, community and education, and acquire the necessary tools to create community-based art and cultural events independently.
During the first year of the Zumu School, which, unfortunately, coincided with the COVID 19 crisis, the participants visited Beit Hagefen, Haifa Museum, Israel Museum, Art Port, Tel Aviv, and, in the spirit of the times, met with lecturers and influencers from the Israeli art and culture scene, through Zoom.
At the end of the educational program, the participants were invited to submit a proposal for a cultural project in the community. The educational team will select three proposals, and successful candidates will receive 10,000 NIS to cover production costs, as well as help in conceptualizing and producing the chosen projects.
Program Director: Halit Michaeli
Development: Sharon Glazberg and Halit Michaeli