Art Knows No Borders is non-profit organization that seeks to address the present scarcity of cross-border art interaction in the middle-east by establishing the ongoing framework to develop, promote, and host an annually recurring arts festival with a rotating series of locations within Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. The primary aims of the project are to promote cross-cultural understanding through art and raise awareness of critical cross-border issues that can serve as rallying points for regional amity.
As one of a culture’s most potent forms of communication and expression, art has a vast capital of social force that can act as an catalyst for changing attitudes. We believe that when artists consciously utilize this power to foster social change they can lead the way towards understanding, cooperation, and justice. Art Knows No Borders aims to focus and direct this soft-power to address pressing social and environmental issues confronting the middle east.
In a place where cultural intermingling serves as a constant balance to political divisions, and competitive consumption serves as a constant barrier to environmental preservation, the need for artistic collaboration toward common goals is critical for lasting progress. By utilizing a truly cross-border approach, Art Knows No Borders attempts to transcend the institutional and social barriers that stand in the path of regional cooperation. We believe that only through peaceful cultural collaboration can the divides that that mar both internal and external landscapes be overcome.
Art Knows No Borders practically works to accomplish these goals by providing a forum for audiences and artists to explore the common causes that unify rather than divide us. Our festivals focuses on bringing diverse groups of visual artists, musicians, and culture creators together to collaborate on projects both within the event itself, and beyond.
Made up of a team of international artists and activists, Art Knows No Borders has held events in Haifa (Israel), Amman (Jordan), Temuco (Chile), and Ketura (Israel).