When our Gaza Center was destroyed, we established a Shelter for Musicians in Rafah.
Now, we need your help to expand.
In response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine and the destruction of our Delia Center in Gaza, we joined partners to establish the Artists Shelter in Rafah.
This initiative provides refuge to displaced local artists and their families while actively preserving the Palestinian cultural heritage.
Due to budget constraints, we cannot expand our shelter facilities and support more displaced artists.
We urgently need additional funding to continue providing a "safe" and supportive environment. Your contributions are vital.
Learn more by watching the video below.
Donate to Support our Journey.
Delia Arts Center Gaza - Our Haven in Ruins
Established in 2020, the Delia Arts Center quickly became a hub of artistic activity and community engagement in Gaza. It offered free studios, rehearsal spaces, training, educational programs, and activities for all ages and levels. Tragically, the center was bombed, putting our dreams on pause.
Artists' Shelter in Rafah - A Lifeline in Crisis
Together with Al Kamandjati and Edward Said Conservatory, we've established a lifeline for Gaza's artists. The Emergency Artists' Shelter in Rafah provides safety and basic needs to artists and their families. We focus on keeping the artists alive to preserve Palestinian culture, with additional arts and psychosocial activities for children and the community facilitated by local artists like Sol Band and many others.
100% of your donations go to the projects on the ground.
Our private funders take care of all administrative and management costs of our organization. This ensures that 100% of our crowdfunding donations go directly to the projects for which we are raising funds.
More About the Shelter
The shelter space is a secured private property, enclosed with walls and a guarded gate to enhance safety for the families. It is equipped with necessary amenities and strategically located near a hospital, a UN facility, and other international agencies, making it one of the safest places in Rafah, considering the inhumane, life-threatening conditions Gazans are living.
We have built 15 shelters, hosting nearly 100 artists and family members. In Rafah, our mission goes beyond mere accommodation for those displaced, such as providing food and primary living conditions.
We also employ displaced musicians to realize ongoing artistic and psychosocial activities within and outside the shelters. Our activities mainly focus on children and are designed to help them cope with stress and trauma through the arts.
We need your support to expand these crucial programs and continue providing aid where it is most needed.
We Pay Displaced Artists to Help Children Cope with Trauma Through Art.
Artists at the shelter lead social and psychosocial activities for children, providing crucial support while earning a livelihood. These activities are designed to mitigate stress and trauma among young residents through engaging arts and music programs. This approach not only aids children in coping with challenging circumstances but also allows artists to sustain their professional and creative lives within the community financially.
Shelter Costs Overview
The monthly rent for the property is U$ 3,450, with Delia Arts covering half of it. We also fund music activities from our internal budget, independent of additional fundraising. The property comes equipped with essential amenities—running water, toilets, kitchen supplies, solar energy, and soon, Wi-Fi—which incur monthly maintenance costs of about 1000 EUR.
Each tent has been constructed at approximately 700 EUR, not including other amenities and infrastructure. Due to budgetary constraints, we have paused further expansion of tent numbers, as we need to ensure the shelters' sustainability for at least another year, depending on ongoing developments.
Currently, the most significant expense is compensating the artists for the activities they organize weekly across different regions. Delia Arts and partners like Kamandjati, Edward Said Conservatory, Qattan Foundation, and the French Institute of Ramallah are committed to ensuring that artists in Gaza have a reliable income to sustain themselves during this crisis.
Urgent Call for Support: Help Us Expand
Due to budget constraints, we've had to halt the expansion of our shelter facilities. We urgently need additional funding to continue providing a safe and supportive environment for at least another year—potentially longer, depending on how the situation evolves. Your contributions are vital. With your help, we can increase our capacity to shelter more artists and their families, enhancing the stability and breadth of our support programs. Every donation makes a significant impact, allowing us to extend our reach and deepen our care during these challenging times. Join us in this crucial effort; your support is vital to enabling expansion and sustaining lives.
We're on Standby to Move the Location of the Shelters, as Rafah Is Being Attacked
The situation in Rafah is escalating, putting us on high alert to potentially relocate our shelters to ensure the safety of our artists and their families. This necessary readiness to move is a logistical challenge and a costly endeavor. Immediate and increased support is crucial to manage these expenses effectively. We need your help to ensure we can continue providing a safe environment and respond swiftly to changes, safeguarding our community during these uncertain times.
In the wake of devastation, we urgently need your support.
How Donations Help
Funds raised are crucial for covering the shelter's rent, supplying food, and providing essential resources for ongoing projects and new initiatives to support our artists and extend our reach. Your donations directly contribute to the sustenance and expansion of these life-changing programs.
Delia Arts Foundation - Music as a Catalyst of Social Transformation
The Delia Arts Foundation amplifies the transformative power of music in underserved communities globally. From Gaza and the West Bank to Congo and Brazil, we empower artists to foster peace and unity through music, providing them with tools and a platform to thrive.
Contact
To learn more about our efforts or to get involved further:
Email: hello@delia-arts.org (Joelle Khayat, Executive Director)