Open Jewish Culture Seminar, Brighton

These are some pictures from a conference/seminar for Jewish culture held in Brighton a few months ago.

In line with the Mayor of London's bid to get Jewish organisations to collaboarate for 2012 and the Olympic games, this seminar invited many heads from different organisations to sit together and discuss a number of issues as well as create links for future collaborations. Amongst these organisations was Jewish Book Week, Leeds Jewish Festival, JCC, Open Jewish Culture, the London Jewish Forum, Leatid Europe, Limmud and many more. Being a Jewish artist and cultural activist, I was invited to attend and contribute to the discussions which took place. Not only was it important to strengthen relations within, but also to discuss where we could all help eachother. Whilst I am trying to breathe life into the arts, contemporary Jewish art is one of the projects I am working on facilitating, so it was extremely important and very useful.



During the conference, many things were discussed: What is culture in general? What is Jewish culture? Since Jewish identity and culture is so diverse in the modern world how do we show this and support each difference together? Why is it important to have Jewish culture?


Together we all stood for a photograph.


Many museums and galleries that are related to Jewish arts in London, remain closed, traditional, rarely inviting younger Jewish artists to exhibit, and so it was important that I chair a few ideas of my own especially for the Young Jewish Arts/Artists project I'm attempting to build. This collective will showcase contemporary Jewish artistic talent from a spectrum of different backgrounds. In being its own collective, events can be organised with the YJAs in collaboration with various organisations/museums/gallery spaces in the future.


Representatives from different collections came to speak about the work that they do in lending important art, or objects for exhibitions.













Others were there to talk about building and maintaining social capital. The importance of the network, how this strengthens relationship and how it has been used even going back a number of centuries ago. It helps strengthen relations, your targets and eventual goals.



Ideas were fleshed out.














Food was vegetarian and was excellent, some of the best Vegetarian food I have ever ever tasted.





For now I am collaborating with Limmud in December for quite an exciting venture. Stay tuned!