I aim to raise enough to fund a book about the art and children from Heart of Gaza art project. Sales of the book will help fund the project
Hi my name is Cathy and I want to tell you about Heart of Gaza an amazing, creative and vital project for children that is happening in the Gaza right now.
Many of the artworks can be seen during the video.
Heart of Gaza was founded by Mohammed Timraz who lives in Gaza, and Feile who lives in Ireland, they had been sharing their children’s drawings through social media.
Through this exchange they realised the importance of connecting children through drawing, art and play, even more so because of the harsh conditions the children are facing right now amidst the devastation of the occupation and genocide.
The first Heart of Gaza Artists Tent was established in Deir Al-Balah in 2024 creating a safe recreational space for children to engage in activities they have been deprived of due to the ongoing situation in Gaza. On July 6th, 2024, they had their first exhibition of the children’s images, statements and poems in Sligo, Ireland.
The Artists Tent has expanded into nine different places throughout Gaza and the artworks have been shown in many countries across Europe, and in the UK.
SOME WORDS FROM MOHAMMED TIMRAZ (founder)
‘In the midst of the difficult times Gaza has been facing since October 7th, our children remain a beacon of hope and creativity.
In our workshops and events at ‘Heart of Gaza,’ we see them smiling and expressing their thoughts and dreams in amazing ways.
These children, despite everything they encounter prove to us that joy can be born even in the darkest of times. Through every activity, they learn how to express themselves, how to collaborate with their peers and how to transform their feelings into art.
Every drawing, every song and every story that comes from their hearts carries a powerful message: ‘we are here, and we will not give up.’
In every workshop we plant seeds of hope and build bridges of communication, creating a better world for our children. Let us continue working together and give them a brighter future and a chance to be a voice for change and inspiration.’
WHY I AM ASKING FOR YOUR HELP
This project resonated strongly with me, as a mother, grandmother and Community artist, through my work with young people I know how art and creativity are central to our well being and because children are the essence of innocence they deserve the right to live, play, draw and create. during this time in Gaza they have been stripped of all their basic rights so moments of normality and contact with each other are essential for their survival and well being.
Each one of these children has lost at least one significant person, some have lost many. Yet here were images and statements of happiness, friendship, connection and love as well as loss and dispair, above all humanity.
We recently held a show of the work in Cambridge, while helping with the exhibition, I was able to spend time looking at the images and reading the statements and I had the idea to put them all into a book.
visitors are able to buy copies of the artworks, but it is difficult to choose just one or two and to read all the children’s statements while visiting the show.
I am asking you to donate to this project, we need to raise enough money to cover the cost of producing this book.
The cost of collating and printing one hundred copies of a 208-page book is £2000.
The books will retail at £25, all money raised will go straight to the Heart of Gaza project.
There are several more shows booked here in the UK where these books can be sold and vital funds for the project raised.
Please help us to support Heart of Gaza this wonderful and much needed project by donating towards the production of this book.
Thank you
This project successfully funded on 22nd August 2025