The Jerusalem Foundation and Mishkenot Sha’ananim provide an alternative project for teens while creating more jobs for home-grown artists.
By ARI MARRACHEThe Jerusalem Foundation and Mishkenot Sha’ananim provide an alternative project for teens while creating more jobs for home-grown artists(photo credit: JERUSALEM POST)
Last month Bubble, a Jerusalem Foundation and Mishkenot Sha’ananim joint project for teenagers aged 16 to 18 – organized a “horror evening” at the Hansen Mutimedia Center in Talbiyeh. Evenings like these are a monthly staple for Bubble, and give teens things to do that awaken their interest and keep them away off the streets, out of bars and away from unsupervised house parties, says Eyal Sher, the foundation’s arts and culture director.Bubble was established three years ago with the goal of exposing teens to an array of cultural events at venues such as the Hansen Center and Mishkenot Sha’ananim. The idea behind the project is to create more jobs in Jerusalem for young artists, says Sher, explaining that the way to do this is to “cultivate the future generations of art and culture consumers.”“Most artists leave Jerusalem once they graduate and go to Tel Aviv or Berlin where they have various job opportunities; we want to keep them in Jerusalem,” he says.With many teens admitting that their favorite pastimes are sneaking into bars and getting up to no good, Bubble has found a way to offer fun events that are affordable and interactive, and to provide an opportunity to learn how to put together cultural and artistic events.The center is a renovated leprosy hospital, the perfect venue for a horror evening. The event began with a screening of the horror film Mama on a giant screen in the garden in front of the center, while teens lounged on bean bags, mattresses and pillows. After the movie the teens were given a “horror tour,” accompanied by a sound track created by vocal artist Joseph Sprinzak and heard through headphones.Sprinzak had spent a night alone in the dark Hansen Center prior to the event, recording his steps and the sounds of creaking doors, along with his words. He accompanied these with an electronic keyboard which he played live as the teens were walking through the dark center guided by actors dressed as doctors and nurses.The combination of the sounds and the actors definitely had the teens spooked, as evidenced by the many screams heard during the tour.The tour ended in the atrium with a headphones-only dance party, complete with colorful lights and a smoke machine.Alongside Bubble's attempt to connect teens to Jerusalem’s long-existing cultural institutions, the project aspires to offer equal opportunity to all teens, including those who live in Jerusalem’s socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods. It does this with affordable tickets and free transport to and from events, in order to ensure the safety of the teens. There is no alcohol sold or allowed at Bubble gatherings, but food is served that matches the theme of the event.Sher, former Cinematheque deputy director, has long been known for his contribution to Jerusalem’s arts and culture scene. He was instrumental in the organization of the project, which is run out of Mishkenot Sha’ananim’s project department and funded by the Jerusalem Foundation.The art project is run by Kobi Frig, producer of several of Jerusalem’s biggest and most important cultural events such as the Derech Beit Lehem festival and the Poetry Festival.A group of teenagers known as “Bubbleistim” are part of the Bubble culture and production team. They spend hours of their own time promoting and organizing the project while keeping in mind what types of events they themselves are interested in participating in.The teen-run Bubble Facebook page is a vibrant and happening page regularly updated with information on the upcoming events. (www.facebook.com/bubble.Jerusalem).
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