Mandel Program for Cultural Leadership in the Negev
The program aims to enrich, strengthen and expand the cultural landscape of the region while cultivating a shared language and ethos of cultural leadership.
Program FormatOne day a week
DurationOne academic year
Life in the Negev presents unique challenges when it comes to maintaining a full intellectual and cultural life. The geographic remoteness of the Negev, lack of resources, absence of cultural infrastructure and the region's detachment from artistic and intellectual centers and hubs limit opportunities for local artists and creatives, hindering the development of local art and language. To address these challenges, the Mandel Program for Cultural Leadership in the Negev aims to enrich, strengthen and expand the cultural landscape of the region while cultivating a shared language and ethos of cultural leadership. As the only platform of its kind in the Negev, the program facilitates deep and meaningful interactions between artists, creatives, cultural entrepreneurs, directors of cultural institutions and heads of municipal culture departments.
The program is aimed at culture professionals living and working in the Negev who demonstrate talent, potential for influence and a strong commitment to advancing life in the region. This includes cultural entrepreneurs, directors of cultural institutions or municipal culture departments, as well as artists and creatives from all genres and all communities.
Each group brings its own unique professional language and perspective: heads of municipal culture departments are versed in policy, entrepreneurs in business models and artists and creatives are each versed in their own media languages. The program provides an opportunity for fellows to forge meaningful connections and collaborate to advance culture throughout the Negev.
Course of Studies
Fellows study the Negev and the art and culture produced there and the program encourages the development of a distinctive Negev-specific language and poetics as a foundation for collaborative action. Throughout the program, fellows – both individually and as a group – embark on a journey of inquiry and learning designed to advance cultural and artistic initiatives in the Negev. This process helps fellows clarify the core elements of their identity while introducing them to people, knowledge, tools and concepts that can enhance their ability to create, act and lead.
Impact in the Field
Program graduates form a growing community of cultural leaders committed to improving quality of life in the Negev. Examples include:
Poetry as a bridge: A poet and educator from Bedouin society who uses the power of poetry to bring together Jews and Bedouin Arabs at cultural events that facilitate conversation and reflection on the connections and differences between the languages and identities.
Rebuilding the arts on Kibbutz Be’eri: An award-winning visual artist, curator and director of the Be’eri Gallery for Contemporary Art led the establishment of the new Be’eri Gallery at its temporary location in Romano House in Tel Aviv. This graduate also heads the new arts center project at Kibbutz Be’eri to replace the gallery that was burned down on October 7, with support from the German government and the President of Israel.
Collaboration in film: Two graduates, both executive directors of regional film funds in the Negev, are working collaboratively to redefine the entities they lead, both internally and vis-à-vis the Ministry of Culture. This redefinition will facilitate smarter use of budgets through these funds.
About the Center
The Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev aims to improve quality of life in the Negev by cultivating strong social, educational and cultural leadership. The Center focuses on developing a powerful community of leaders grounded in vision, values and expertise, who will lead groundbreaking initiatives, out of their commitment to all the communities of the Negev and to strengthening the shared spaces of the region.