Creative Space Beirut × Slow Factory: A Partnership Blossoming from Shared Purpose
Sustaining Creative Space Beirut requires a model that can withstand instability, war, and the constant interruptions that shape our context. Rather than relying on a few large donors or one-off events that can be easily disrupted, we are building toward a system grounded in collective support and continuity. To that end, we have created a way for our supporters to sign up for monthly donations through a partnership with Slow Factory - every contribution, no matter the size, matters.
We believe in the power of shared responsibility: if 2,500 people commit to donating $20 per month, we can cover the full cost of running the school. This kind of distributed, recurring support creates a more stable foundation, allowing us to continue offering free education regardless of shifting circumstances, funding gaps, or moments of crisis.
This approach reflects the values we teach: social responsibility, collaboration, and long-term thinking. It allows us to protect a space where creativity, critical thinking, and craft can continue to grow, even in conditions that are unpredictable or fragile.
To make this kind of sustainability possible, we partnered with Slow Factory, building a collaboration rooted in a shared commitment to sustainability, access, and protecting creative knowledge in contexts that are often under-supported.
Through this collaboration, Slow Factory is now acting as a fiscal sponsor for CSB. This means that supporters based in the U.S. can contribute to CSB more easily, with full transparency, tax-deductible benefits, and the option to set up simple recurring monthly donations. Just as importantly, the partnership connects us with an organization that shares the same values and long-term vision.
Both CSB and Slow Factory believe that creativity thrives in systems that are inclusive, community-driven, and grounded in care. We are aligned in our commitment to access, ecological and social responsibility, and equity in education. Together, we hope to continue building models that move away from extractive and exclusionary structures and instead support knowledge-sharing, sustainability, and meaningful, long-term impact.
As Slow Factory co-founder and executive director, Celine Semaan puts it;
“Creative Space Beirut is an example of radical education for collective liberation. Its free education program, operating in a war-torn country and centering the most disadvantaged youth, demonstrates how grassroots institutions create real, lasting impact. Through education, sustainability, and creativity, Creative Space Beirut empowers refugees and marginalized youth in Lebanon to reach their highest potential within an industry that depends on radical creative practice, such as fashion. This is the model Slow Factory believes in and is committed to supporting.”
At CSB, values like care, sustainability, and access are built into how we operate and teach. This carries into hands-on, real-world projects developed through collaborations and partnerships, where students are encouraged to experiment, problem-solve, and understand how their work connects to a larger creative ecosystem.
For students, this ecosystem creates a learning environment grounded in mentorship and shared responsibility. First-year student Salem Sleiman describes it simply:
“The community at Creative Space Beirut is one of the most special things about studying here, especially the bonds you form with other students and teachers, many of whom were once students themselves. It creates a sense of connection that shapes how you think, work, and take responsibility for your practice.”
That same approach continues beyond graduation. Alumni remain closely involved as instructors, collaborators, mentors, and practitioners, creating an ongoing exchange of knowledge that strengthens the community and keeps learning in motion.
Ahmed Amer, CSB alumnus and instructor, reflects on this experience:
“CSB shaped my practice through its deep commitment to social justice, innovation, and alternative ways of learning rooted in care and responsibility. I witnessed the growth of this school during some of its most difficult times, which helped build strong bonds shaped by resistance, culture, and citizenship. Today, through my brand Amer and my role as an instructor, I continue to give back while learning alongside students, allowing practice, education, and activism to remain in constant dialogue.”
Ensuring that young designers can pursue education regardless of situational or systemic barriers is essential to building a more equitable and representative creative field. Sustaining this model becomes an act of cultural preservation, protecting craft, knowledge, and future possibility. For Slow Factory, this partnership also aligns closely with its global mission to democratize knowledge, expand access, and support care-led, community-driven systems of change. Moving forward, the collaboration is envisioned as active and generative, with joint workshops, shared research, and collaborative programming connecting us to wider global conversations around sustainability, education, and material futures.
As our founder and executive director, Sarah Hermez explains,
“Education is one of the most powerful ways culture is carried forward. At Creative Space Beirut, protecting access to learning means protecting creative knowledge, craft, and critical thinking as living practices. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that creativity continues to circulate, even when the context is strained or challenging.”
Through this partnership, supporters can now:
Support Creative Space Beirut more easily from abroad
Receive U.S. tax-deductible receipts
Contribute through simple, recurring monthly giving
At its core, this collaboration comes from a simple but urgent understanding: culture and education are collective responsibilities. Together, Creative Space Beirut and Slow Factory are working to support a future-facing model of community-centered creative education that protects knowledge, centers sustainability, and insists on access for all.
To support, subscribe, or learn more, visit our Donate page and help forge a global community sustaining Creative Space Beirut.
