Five Israeli art spaces that double as nightlife hot spots

While the city of Tel Aviv is in no shortage of talented and creative residents whose art is their passion, artists in the metropolis are forever on the lookout for a source of inspiration and a place where they can congregate. One such spot they are very lucky to have is the Red House, an alternative and hip arts and culture center situated right in the midst of South Tel Aviv’s new hipster haven- the Shapira neighborhood.

The scenic arts hub has been accentuating the gritty and offbeat charm of Shapira for quite a while now, having opened its doors to arty business in October of 2016. But in fact, the center has 200 years of impressive history to boast of- the building it is located in served as one of the thirty well houses that were built in the city back in the 19th century. At the time, it was mostly known as the “Sheikh Murad House,” and after it was covered with red plaster it received the nickname it now officially goes by.

Today, the Red House is an arts-based community center where exhibitions, theater shows, music concerts and art installations are on prominent display. It is also home to the Red Gallery, which showcases contemporary art exhibitions crafted by local and international artists. 

Imagine everything that makes Jaffa and the White City culturally unique: incredible museums, wild and wonderful art galleries, bustling bars, and chef-quality restaurants. Now imagine them mixed together in a cultural melting pot, all under the same roof. This was the dream of power couple Amir Erlich and Arianna Fornaciai when they stumbled across the Jaffa palace-like building that once belonged to Aaron Kandinof, the son of the Minister of Finance of Muzaffar Khan, ruler of Bukhara.

The Cuckoo's Nest is truly a unique experience like no other. Part bar, part art gallery, all located inside an antique shop, the Cuckoo's Nest will give you an experience you surely never have had before and will likely remember long after you leave the bar. With a weekly selection of art to visit, you will always have something new to explore at Cuckoo's Nest. This Jaffa gem boasts great service, an impressive selection of cocktails and wine, and also a fantastic menu.

All across the globe, authors, painters, musicians and creators escape their everyday city stresses to retreat into utter isolation. Whether that means bunking up in a rustic cabin in Northern Ireland or finding solace in an Artist’s House in Jerusalem, “Artist Retreats” cast distractions to the wind to make way for focused work within a community of like-minded innovators. As the “Start-up Nation,” Israel is a cut above the rest when it comes to innovation. Which is where Sussie’s Art Bay comes in.

Sussies’s has extracted the magic that flows through these secluded Artist Retreats set apart from society and injected it into a communal urban setting with a goal of redefining creativity. While many collaborative art spaces favor a specific medium, the 20 private studios and shared exhibition space that make up Sussie’s welcome a multi-dimensional group of artists.

Step inside Noga Erez’s audiovisual collaboration with local Israeli artists; explore the feelings of unsettled impermanence in Rebecca Brodski’s in-between; breath music with Israeli multi-instrumentalist Joseph E-Shine as you weave through the web of intimate studios that expose the artists’ beautiful vulnerabilities at their rawest. The collaborative art complex enlightens artists to create in new ways, opening up the floor so that the artist just might “enter as a photographer and leave as a sound designer.”

Beit Romano, 2nd floor, 9 Derech Yaffo St, Tel Aviv (050-7710108/sussiesartbay.com)

Tel Aviv has a notorious reputation for being the “city that does not sleep,” and first-time visitors to the White City join locals in attesting to the fact that one of the metropolis’ many charms is the feeling it evokes of being full of rare treasures that are just waiting to be discovered at random. One such gem that is also truly reflective of the city’s homogeneous texture and multi-cultural affluence is the Yafo Creative, a modern guest house in Jaffa that doubles as a creative content center that has formed, over time, an urban community of interdisciplinary artists and art lovers.

The Yafo Creative was founded in 2014 by Amnon Ron, an Israeli filmmaker who took the beautiful architectural structure that belonged to his family and turned it into the production hub and intimate, bohemian hotel that it now is. While the guest house does feature four elegant rooms to dwell in for a unique retreat, its focal point is its prolific artistic activity.

The Yafo Creative serves as a meeting venue for local as well as international artists from different fields to convene, exchange ideas and engage in dialogue. It has housed hundreds of spontaneous music shows, art exhibitions, theatrical productions and other cultural events, and is fondly known for its monthly “creative dinners” that are a culinary celebration of city life followed by a changing artistic program. 

33 Shivtei Israel St, Jaffa (yafocreative.com)