Aspamia Ensemble

Hi, this is Dalia Shimko. Many of you know me as an actress, but 23 years ago I chose a new path - the path of independent creation. When I realized there was no place for the kind of theater I wanted to make within the establishment, I stopped waiting for permission and founded Aspamia Ensemble. I built this ensemble out of love, stubbornness, and faith in the importance art. Over the years, incredible actors and creators joined me, and together we created a theater that is deeply personal and fearless - theater that gives space to women’s voices, speaks honestly about pain and beauty, celebrates the Hebrew language, and dares to touch the places others are often afraid to look at. For 23 years, this ensemble has been my life’s work and my artistic home. Maybe it has been a home for some of you too - a place where you felt moved, seen, shaken, comforted, or less alone. The challenges that come with creating art in Israel are not unfamiliar to me; however, today we are facing an existential threat. The past few years have been devastating for independent culture. Budgets have disappeared, support has diminished, and continuing to create has become an impossible struggle. We have fought to keep going for as long as we could, but today we truly need help. It is not easy for me to ask this. Artists are used to giving, not asking. But I cannot let this home disappear without doing everything I can to save it. If our work has ever touched you, if you believe independent art must continue to exist, if you believe women’s voices, brave stories, and free creation still deserve a stage - I am asking you to stand with us now. Every donation, small or large, is not only financial support. It is a vote of faith in independent theater, in culture, and in the possibility of continuing to create in this country despite everything. From the depths of my heart - thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping us continue. Dalia Shimko Founder and Artistic Director Aspamia Ensemble