Project description:

Baobab Studios is a nationwide network of creative workshops across Israel that uses art-making as a therapeutic and social tool for vulnerable populations. At its heart are stationary and mobile ceramic studios, where participants work with clay and other materials under the guidance of trained instructors and psychologists.

The program is run by TEDY – Tmicha Derech Yetsira, a non-profit based in Ness Ziona. Its founder and artistic director, Sasha Galitsky, has spent more than twenty years developing art-based approaches for older people, those living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment, and others requiring additional emotional support. Today the program operates 27 studios across Israel, reaching 300 to 400 participants each week.

Baobab Studios works with several distinct groups, with a strong emphasis on older people: those aged 70 and above, patients and families affected by dementia, and caregivers experiencing burnout. Its StigmaCarving program, developed in partnership with Ariel University, is specifically designed for people with dementia and their families and has already been the subject of a peer-reviewed pilot study. A dedicated mobile studio unit brings the program to people and communities unable to reach a permanent venue.

The FAIR Foundation began supporting Baobab Studios in 2026 — a partnership reflecting its commitment to programs combining genuine therapeutic value with broad social reach, helping vulnerable and elderly people across Israel through the simple, human act of making something with their hands.