Our Story
The First Art Studio & Sound Space in Little Palestine
A space created by Palestinian youth to serve all humanity through the transformative power of art.
Founding Narrative
Jerusalem Academy of the Arts
The Jerusalem Academy of the Arts was born from the Al Hub Forum, a cultural space rooted in Harlem / Little Palestine that emerged in a moment of global rupture, censorship, and collective displacement.
Al Hub Forum began as a gathering place — for artists, thinkers, organizers, and communities whose stories were being erased, distorted, or rendered unspeakable within dominant institutions. In the face of ongoing colonial violence, particularly against Palestine and the Global South, Al Hub functioned as a living forum: a site where art was inseparable from memory, culture from resistance, and creativity from survival.
Like the salons and cultural forums that gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance, Al Hub was not initially conceived as an institution. It was a necessity. Through panels, performances, workshops, screenings, and informal exchange, it cultivated a shared language and a collective imagination at a time when both were under threat.
Al Hub belongs to a longer global tradition of cultural forums formed under conditions of dispossession and struggle — from Harlem's Black salons, to the Negritude circles of Paris, to Third World liberation study groups, Palestinian cultural centers in exile, and Black Arts and women-of-color collectives that fused artistic production with political imagination. In each of these moments, culture functioned not as ornament, but as infrastructure: a means of preserving identity, generating knowledge, and imagining futures beyond colonial constraint.
From this forum emerged a clear need:
not only to gather, but to teach;
not only to resist erasure, but to produce knowledge;
not only to create art, but to protect the conditions for its future.
The Jerusalem Academy of the Arts was founded as the institutional continuation of that work.
The Academy carries forward the political clarity, ethical commitments, and communal accountability of Al Hub Forum. It exists to center Palestinian and diasporic artistic practice on its own terms, to transmit cultural knowledge across generations, and to cultivate art that is historically rooted, intellectually rigorous, and materially connected to liberation struggles.
In this sense, the Academy is not a departure from Al Hub — it is its legacy.
Where Al Hub was the forum,
the Academy is the archive.
Where Al Hub convened,
the Academy teaches.
Where Al Hub protected space,
the Academy ensures continuity.
The Jerusalem Academy of the Arts stands in a lineage shaped by necessity rather than permission — part of a historical tradition in which marginalized communities build their own institutions when existing ones fail to recognize their humanity.
Its founding principle is simple and uncompromising:
Art is not neutral.
Culture is not disposable.
Memory is a form of resistance.
Our Identity
A Symbol of Peace & Creativity
Created by Palestinian youth but open to all, we believe that art transcends borders and serves all humanity. Here, art is not merely decoration—it is memory, resistance, healing, and the foundation upon which communities build their futures.
Our academy stands as a beacon of hope and creativity in the heart of the Palestinian-American community, offering a space where ancient traditions meet contemporary expression, where stories are told through every brushstroke, note, and written word.
Mission & Vision
Guided by Purpose, Driven by Passion
Our Mission
To support creativity and innovation across artistic disciplines while fostering community engagement and deep appreciation for arts, literature, and sciences. We are dedicated to upholding values of justice, freedom, and cultural preservation.
Our Vision
A world where art serves as a bridge between cultures, a keeper of history, and a catalyst for healing and resilience. We envision communities empowered through critical thought and creative expression to build more just and compassionate societies.
Our Values
The Pillars That Guide Us
Healing
Art as medicine for the soul, helping communities process trauma and find renewal.
Community
Building bridges across generations, traditions, and perspectives through shared creativity.
Creativity
Nurturing innovation and artistic expression as pathways to personal and cultural growth.
Preservation
Safeguarding cultural heritage and traditional knowledge for future generations.