Empower Generations: Women,Kids,Arts, & Culture
Hello, I am Flavia Juska Bechara, founder of Hunna Arts & Culture.
Hunna was founded in 2022 with a simple vision where we believe it is necessary to provide women and children with spaces where arts and culture can be practiced jointly.
Hunna offers a range of programs, focusing on family-friendly residencies, where parent artists can bring their children to stay with them during the residency, which makes it the only art residency in MENA that is children-friendly. Hunna provides Residency Grants to female artists with a focus on mother artists. We aim to support and empower women by opening our space to them and their children, and we are proud to be the only parent-friendly art residency in the Middle East.
Additionally, we offer an Outreach Program and activities that are open to people of all ages and backgrounds with a mission to promote art appreciation and creative expression in the area of Okaibeh and its surroundings.
To further this goal, we have created the LittleCreators Fund, which allows children to explore their creativity and develop new skills.
Why support Hunna?
There's a growing need for dedicated spaces for women/mothers in the arts, both in the Middle East and globally, as female artists play a crucial role in shaping the narratives of society. By contributing to Hunna, you're investing in arts, culture, motherhood, and womanhood, transcending borders and connecting communities. Hunna eliminates the unrealistic assumption that female artists can pause their lives once they become mothers, and affirms that mother artists can enjoy the experience of having a full residency while working on their practices in the presence of their children. As a result, Hunna's residencies welcome women and mother artists with their children. Empowering female artists also contributes to the diversification and growth of cultural industries, which fosters economic resilience. By providing platforms for women in the arts, we're amplifying their voices, promoting gender equality, and influencing social discourse. Hunna inspires a generation of women and children who defy limitations and contribute to cultural expression.
EIGHT RESIDENCY GRANTS: Supporting Women-Led Artistic Projects
Hunna's Women/Mother Art Residency offers dedicated time and space to female artists to work on their projects, connect with other artists, and share their experiences. The program aims to strengthen solidarity among women, especially those with children who are often isolated from cultural and artistic activities. Participants have the opportunity to engage with curators and cultural figures, which can help them discover new possibilities, stay motivated, and create inspiring works. Each year, the residency program awards fully-funded grants to eight women, covering accommodation, meals, children's activities, and workshops. These grants are made possible by donations from supporters, grants, as well as partnerships and collaborations with other organizations. The program accommodates various disciplines, such as visual artists, writers, poets, filmmakers, curators, painters, fashion designers, and others.
---------------------------- DONATE TO SUSTAIN HUNNA’ WOMEN/MOTHER ART RESIDENCY!
Thank you for considering donating to Hunna's Spring/Summer Art Residencies of 2024. Your contribution is crucial to the success of this project. We are excited to inform you that we have received heartfelt applications from talented female and mother artists not only from Lebanon but also from Tunisia, the UK, Sweden, and other countries. Your every donation counts and helps to create cultural exchange, promote collaboration, and empower female artists worldwide.
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LittleCreators Fund: Nurturing Kids' Artistic Talents at Hunna
Our program for children at Hunna in 2024 aims to inspire and motivate them in the midst of the challenges faced in Lebanon and the broader Middle East. We plan to achieve this through a range of workshops, environmental campaigns, a lively kids' cine club, and various cultural and artistic activities. Our goal is to create a transformative space where children can flourish.
The workshops we have designed specifically for children will help nurture their creativity and instill a sense of curiosity and resilience. From painting to storytelling, these sessions will offer a platform for self-expression, help develop valuable skills, and foster personal and artistic growth.
Hunna's kids' cine club will take young minds on an exciting journey of imagination and discovery. We have selected enriching films with captivating narratives that will not only entertain but also encourage critical thinking and broaden perspectives. This cinematic journey will contribute to a deeper understanding of different cultures and societies, fostering empathy and cultural awareness.
---------------------------- DONATE TO LittleCreators Arts & Culture Program
In these challenging times, providing children with such enriching experiences becomes essential. Our program seeks to be a source of motivation, offering a safe and stimulating environment where kids can explore, create, and connect without the burden of paying fees put on their parents.
Supporting our Kids' program will help us produce the program, workshops, and screenings and present it free of charge, eliminating any occurrent financial obstacle on the parents.
Your donation will also help sustain our “Collaboration with TACCATO”, a music platform that teaches music. Online, as part of the donation will proceed to grant free piano classes for four children in 2024.
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Hunna, So Far!
The operation period took place from July 2022 till September 2023 in collaboration with Mophradat in Brussels, French Institute, and TACCATO in Lebanon. Hunna has held two fully funded editions of two-month art residency programs for seven female artists with five children, and over eight free-of-charge workshops facilitated by our artists and open to the public for women, men, and children of all ages. In 2023, Hunna also collaborated with Taccato, an online music teaching platform, and together, we sponsored a full course of free piano classes for two kids from Okaibeh.
How will this crowd-funding help Hunna?
We are running a crowdfunding campaign to support our upcoming program and to help Hunna grow.
Your donations, no matter how big or small, will make a difference and give hope to women and children who use our space to create and connect with others. We can not continue our work without the gracious generosity and support of our network and donors. Your donation enables Hunna to keep on supporting artists, and more importantly to keep on contributing to a more fair and just artist residency field, where mother artists can thrive.
Donations between $50 and $100 will receive a Hunna postcard as a token of our appreciation.
Donations between $100 and $200 will receive a specially designed Hunna tote bag, created by Lilimarli and Elahe, the co-founders of Hunna.
For larger donations, You will receive both a postcard and a tote bag.
---------------------------- We'd be happy to hear from you!
If you would like to learn more about the project, collaborate with us, or join the team, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
If you'd like to visit us in person, please reach out to us at 00 961 76 163303.
Follow us on Instagram @Hunnaartculturalcenter, and Facebook!
Donating and sharing our campaign with your friends will allow us to make a difference in every possible way!
Thank you so much for your support. We are grateful to you!
