Out Of The Box: Tel Aviv's Best Hands-on Workshops

The Stage is the first all English performing arts group in Tel Aviv and has proved a great success in producing plays, musicals, and improv sessions for the English speaking community. In addition to establishing a company of experienced performers, The Stage also offers workshops and classes for those who want to express themselves on stage as a hobby. The classes, about to start their fourth semester, include acting, musical theater and improvisation. Past workshops have also included directing, and a workshop on character development. This is a must for all those divas waiting for their time to shine!

The Tel Aviv Art Studio has become the go-to place for art classes and workshops. Founded in 2009 the studio focuses on art expression. It holds art lessons, workshops, art therapy in both group or individual and is a great places for group workshops and parties. There are numerous different workshops to try out, including event photography, graphic design, figure drawing and special children arts and crafts lessons. Centrally located, The Tel Aviv Art Studio is a must for art hobbyists and experienced artists with a jam packed schedule.

Get your hands dirty and create something beautiful at Benyamini. Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics promotes ceramic art and design in an vibrant atmosphere of creativity for both experienced artists and those just starting out. Binyamini offers dozens of different workshops including ceramic design, ceramic materials and jewelery, paper clay and printing. The prices are also very reasonable for a very equipment-heavy workshop. The studio is located in South Tel Aviv in an up and coming area full of art studios and galleries.

Can’t afford your own designer bag? What about making your own with this special bag design workshop at the famous Bezalel Academy for Art and Design. The workshop is run by Lihi Laskar-Dangoor who teaches the traditional practices of design and manufacturing handmade bags. The workshop objective is to study the design and manufacturing techniques of handmade bags . The course embodies the joy of DIY work , passion for material creation and designing custom made bags. The course lasts a total of eight classes and is held in the evening in Tel Aviv. An amazing workshop if you want to challenge yourself and come away with something special, Lihi also teaches half day workshops where she can come to the comfort of your own house or studio!

Tel Aviv Walking Photographic Tours is aimed at beginners who want to create great images while using whatever device they have on them, from their camera phone to a new point and shoot or DSLR. During the tour, photographer Lauren Newman will focus on a particular subject or aspect of photography, after hearing what the group is most interested on improving on. Walking through the city, you will learn to see things around you in a new light, taking the time to pause and learning how to capture these gems that can sometimes be passed by. The tour lasts up to an hour and a half, finishing with a coffee and chat, where the group gets to share and discuss what they have taken and get feedback on their shots. If you would like to join a more detailed and technical seminar, check out How to Take Better Photos with your phone hosted by Lauren and Urban Space.

Living in the 21st century, it’s surprising to see that we are going back to an ancient art, one of quality hand making shoes and accessories. HaGilda, or The Guild, is a one-its kind institution in Israel, the only one with world class training and certification in the field of shoemaking and accessories. HaGilda was founded in 2007 by Nina Rosen, who graduated from London’s University of the Arts. This amazing studio offers workshops in sneaker production, millinery, leather belt making, and material printing, just a few to name. Located in hipster south Tel Aviv, HaGilda offers an amazing opportunity to work with some of the most experienced teachers in the business. Check their website for the up to date workshop schedule.

Baking has gained popularity in the last couple of years, especially baking your own challah bread. Workshops have popped up all over the city but this particular workshop by the wonderful bakery Le’chamim is one to try. Lechamim’s bakery is passionate about its handmade bread and prides itself on exceptional quality and taste. It comes as no surprise that people would trust Lechamim to teach the best bread-making techniques. Their workshops are held by Lechamim’s owner Uri Scheft at the Ha’Chashmonayim bakery and run for about two and a half hours. It costs 220 NIS and in addition to challah making there is also tutorials on how to make other dough-based goods like Bubka. A real treat for bakery-lovers. Check the website for the challah-making workshop schedule.

Itching to pull out your pen and express yourself creatively? Pink Pangea’s writing workshops are a wonderful way to feed your soul whilst practicing creative writing techniques. Pink Pangea was set up to bring together a community of female voices in the travelling community and now runs workshops and writing retreats for women all over the world, including Costa Rica, Barcelona, Corfu, and of course Tel Aviv. Visit their events schedule to find out when the next workshop comes to town.

Part of the fun of doing a workshop is bringing something home with you that you put time and effort and design into. Jewelry-making is very popular in Tel Aviv and there are hundreds of different workshops you can take part in. Efrat Ezuz, a talented Tel Aviv based jewelry designer also offers workshops for jewelry making. The workshops are held in an intimate studio with six participants. All equipment are provided, such as chains, materials, and tools. The price of the workshop is reasonable at 350 NIS , and especially in light of leaving with a gorgeous handmade piece of jewelry.

Ba’ali Ham’lacha or Hamelaha Workshop is a print studio and a cultural center for art and design operating in Tel Aviv. The workshop is dedicated to improving the the traditional techniques of manual printing and since its opening it has attracted a great deal of international artists in addition to amateurs without prior experience. The studio offers many different workshops including printing and design on textile, or printing on wood, paper and material. The staff in the studio are on hand throughout the workshop to assist with printing. The School also offers network printing and print courses in textile design for printing paper and wood materials.

With the wealth of knowledge and experience Noam Koren has accumulated living in South East Asia, he converges his passion for cooking and previous career as a restaurant and hotel chef into a fun action-packed workshop. Koren brings all the ingredients, utensils and recipes; participants just need to come with an open mind and a big appetite. Throwing in anecdotes and fun facts, you get some culinary background on Asian cuisines and cooking methods, as well as hands on experience attempting to concoct traditional dishes from scratch. His workshops run both in English and Hebrew, where he guides you on a delicious journey; exploring your own capabilities in the kitchen and developing unique and acquired tastes with every item he hand-picks for the menu. Friendly and professional, this workshop is suitable for all kinds of people with varied cooking abilities.

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