African-Israeli Stage

National Network
Israel
Address

Katsenelson st. 1B
Jerusalem 9262101
Israel

Telephone
++972-77-5580048
E-Mail
yaffay6@gmail.com
Mobile Phone
++972-54-6570300
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2010
Fields of Activity
  1. Arts
  2. Human rights
  3. International/Cultural relations
General Information
The African-Israeli Stage is an Israeli NGO, that recognises long-standing structural inbalances in the manner by which the arts – particularly arts that originate from Africa – are promoted and presented to the public. Chairman Prof. Avraham Oz, Actors and artists work for artistic payment while CEO volunteers her salary. Budget comes from Municipalities as well as from sponsoring companies with interest in Human Rights ans Arts. The Theatre repertoire portrays African plays focusing on contemporary and classical creation of African playwrights and authors, as well as plays portraying the experience of immigrants, migrant workers and refugees. Company highlights include performing "A Dance of the Forests", written by Wole Soyinka, Nobel Prize laureate at Habima Theatre, July 2014;  'The Lion and the Jewel' by Wole Soyinka, February 2012 at "Södra Theatre" in Stockholm; November 2010, at The National Theatre of Nigeria in Lagos; The Edinburgh Festival, where it received good critics for its performance. Artistic work includes focus on  marginalized communities as the Asylum seekers from Darfur and Sudan and Ethiopian immigrants' everyday struggles. Recently we have introduced "Little Africa", a series of Soirees which present a curated cross-section of arts and culture from across Africa and the African diaspora, including but not limited to visual arts, literature and non-fiction writing, poetry, dance, theatre, and cinema.   
Mission and Objectives

The African Israeli Stage,  sees its role as a supporter of African culture; it seeks to contribute to the cultural ‘conversation’, rather than dominate it; it takes a positive, rather than critical perspective on African culture (and by extension, on Africa itself); and ultimately, it looks to enrich the Israeli culture discourse, by helping creating a space within it for African arts and culture, as well as for minority culture. The strength and unique quality of the African-Israeli Stage is in creating opportunities for inter-cultural contacts. The professional ensemble of actors, musicians and creators include among its participants veteran Israelis, Ethiopian immigrants, African immigrants, Asylum seekers and Israeli-Palestinian actors, who transcend their daily existences to create a community of understanding and acceptance without minimizing the differences and conflicts that exist across different cultural and religious identities.

Main Projects / Activities

Our Productions:
The Lion and the Jewel - Written by Prof. Soyinka, Nigeria;
The Case of the Illiterate Saboteur - Written by Hama Tuma, Ethiopia;
The Legendary Inikpi - Written by Prof. Emmy Idegu, Nigeria;
A Dance of the Forests - Written by Prof. Soyinka, Nigeria; 
Song of Deborah - Written by Deborah Freeman, England;
Years of Exile - Peformed and written by Yasir Abdallah, Sudan;
Family Pictures - Written and performed by Ethiopian immigrants;
"Little Africa" -Cultural Soirees from across Africa and African Diaspora;

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

1. We can contribute to the Israeli cultural conversation, rather than dominate it, by taking a positive, rather than critical perspective on African culture.
2. We can share our accumulated knowledge of the situation of various minority groups in Israel.
3. We can broaden the perspectives of local Israeli audiences to the breadth and richness of new cultural production about, and referencing, Africa.
4. We can be used as go -between to stregthen the concepts of Human Rights and right of minority groups to their cultural aspects of language and arts.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

The main reason we seek for membership in ALF, is Not to work alone, to have partners for collaborations,  as well as developing and sharing ideas.and cultural initiatives.
 
We find that the ALF targets aim at similar perspectives, as we in AIS -African Israeli Stage work for.
 
We believe that the best way to succeed in our Cultural work, is by bridging and empowering minority communities in Israel. This is best done, by networking with other Israeli as well as international organizations.
 
 

Contact (1) Full Name
Dr. Yaffa Schuster
Job Title
CEO, Artistic Director
Head of the organisation
Yaffa Schuster (Dr.)
Contact (2) Full Name
Yasir Abdallah
Job Title (2)
Producer