Photo courtesy of the Jerusalem Foundation Archive
1991
In the heart of Jerusalem’s Katamonim neighborhood, the Djanogly Visual Arts Centre opens the world of art to children and youth who might otherwise have limited access to creative opportunities. Through hands-on learning, exhibitions and community programming, the Centre nurtures imagination, confidence and connection, offering participants the freedom to explore what they can create.
At a time when young people are spending ever more hours on screens, and artificial intelligence is beginning to transform even the most personal forms of creative expression, the simple act of making something by hand is becoming increasingly rare. Those fortunate enough to have regular access to artistic materials, studios and professional instruction often come from more privileged backgrounds, while many children grow up without ever being given the opportunity to discover what they can create. The Djanogly Visual Arts Centre is a creative oasis in the heart of Jerusalem’s Katamonim neighborhood. When children and youth step through its doors, they enter a world shaped by color, texture, imagination and community. Here, art is not treated as a luxury or an extracurricular privilege, but as a language through which people can explore ideas, develop confidence and connect with one another.
The Centre was established in 1991 with the generous support of the Djanogly family, alongside additional donors from Israel and around the world. The Jerusalem Foundation played a central role in bringing the project to life, supporting the construction of a dedicated facility in a neighborhood where access to high-quality cultural programming could not be taken for granted. The original complex included classrooms and workshop spaces, a central area for creative activity, an outdoor courtyard and a gallery for exhibitions and student work.
In 2018, with support from the Jerusalem Foundation and Jerusalem municipality, The Gallery within the Djanogly Visual Arts Centre was renovated, offering rotating exhibitions by both emerging and established artists. The gallery focuses on maintaining high artistic standards while communicating complex ideas through an accessible visual language for younger audiences. Today, visitors to the gallery are encouraged to respond to the exhibitions in the studio, translating what they have seen into their own work through materials, color and mixed techniques. This movement between viewing and making deepens both emotional and intellectual engagement, turning each visit into a complete educational experience.
Over the years, the Centre has grown into a vibrant hub for art education serving children and youth from Katamonim and across Jerusalem. Its weekly activities include drawing, watercolor, ceramics and open studio sessions, as well as joint workshops for parents and children, enrichment programs for art teachers and creative encounters bringing together Jewish and Arab children. School groups, nonprofit organizations and community partners take part in courses, master classes and practical workshops, while an annual summer art camp offers children and teenagers an intensive opportunity to experiment, learn and create.
The Centre’s natural rhythm follows the life of the community, shaped by the routines of the school year, the cycle of holidays and the everyday moments that bring families together. Recent activities have included a collaborative mosaic with a home supporting families of children with special needs, seasonal workshops for Tu BiShvat, and the annual Purim Factory, where families create original costume accessories together. During the difficult years following October 7, the Centre also offered art as a source of resilience, including a kite-making initiative that brought together Jerusalem children and families evacuated from Israel’s border regions. With a nearby bomb shelter, the Centre was able to remain active even under strict safety restrictions.
The Djanogly Visual Arts Centre gives the next generation something increasingly precious—the time, space and encouragement to make. At the Centre, participants are encouraged to get their hands dirty, experiment with new materials and most of all, expand their creative horizons. Whatever paths its participants go on to follow, the Centre offers them the chance to create something of their own and, quite literally, to leave their mark on the world.
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